Compassion and Mercy

Word Definitions and Meaning

ver.: 07 April 2008

Define :
compassion, mercy.

What Is Compassion ?

compassion : [ < Latin compassus (to sympathize) < co- (with) + pati (to suffer)] A powerful, deep awareness of someone else's suffering, making it so that you want them not to suffer. The New Testament Greek words are eleos and oiktirmos.

The root word is the same as 'passion', something you want so much that you suffer from not doing or having or accomplishing it. The root meaning 'to suffer' is also used of Christ en route to His crucifixion. For a Christian, any compassion we have is shaped by and rooted in Jesus' Passion, where His awareness of our suffering drove Him to do something about it. A sense of solidarity develops; your suffering becomes my suffering. A few people have been said to have empathic gifts, where they can actually enter into part of another's suffering or pain, and bear with them the part of it they can reach. (It probably feels as much like a curse as it does a gift.) But noone needs such a gift to have compassion. You only need enough love in you to want someone's suffering to end or at least become more bearable.

There are some related words. Sympathy is being sad about others' sadness. Commisseration is when that sorrow is expressed to the saddened ones. Pity leads you to want to help them if you could. Compassion is more than a mere desire to help; it creates a determination, a decision to actually help, even if only in some small way. Compassion puts something of yourself on the line : perhaps your power over someone, or your time, or wealth, or effort, or healing skills. When strong, compassion overrides angry or vengeful desires. Compassion differs from mercy in that compassion is about an emotional connection, while mercy is about an action. Compassion can lead to mercy.

You can also check for 'compassion' in the dictionary.

What Is Mercy ?

"I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice."
----- Abraham Lincoln, from a speech in Washington D.C. in 1865, said as he was preparing the United States for life after the US Civil War.

mercy : [< Medieval Latin merces (reward, compassionate action) < merx (merchandise); influenced by Latin miserere < miserêrî (to have pity)] compassionate action or treatment; relief from distress; a tendency from personal character to act compassionately; to be ruthful, to show forbearance or kindness. In scripture and in the Christian faith, mercy means the giving of grace to people who don't deserve it, or showing compassion to someone you have power or authority over. There is purpose for God's mercy :

• We can change.
• God wants us to be welcomed into the Kingdom.
• Mercy is part of the character of God, who wants it to be part of our character.

Mercy is grace's effect on justice. It is rooted in love : God shows mercy because God loves us and forgives us. Mercy is cause for hope. It is what stands behind the Christian faith. Mercy is limited only by justice, which in this context is an end to mercy for someone(s) in order that there be mercy for the rest. A biblical instance of the term "mercy" is found in 1 Timothy 1:16 :

"But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the foremost [of sinners], Christ Jesus might display his limitless patience, to make me an example for those who would believe on him for eternal life."

You can check for 'mercy' in the dictionary. (But does this mean the dictionary shows you mercy?)