Solidarity in Weakness

Joy is hidden in compassion. The word compassion literally means “to suffer with.” It seems quite unlikely that suffering with another person would bring joy. Yet being with a person in pain, offering simple presence to someone in despair, sharing with a friend times of confusion and uncertainty… such experiences can bring us deep joy. Not happiness, not excitement, not great satisfaction, but the quiet joy of being there for someone else and living in deep solidarity with our brothers and sisters in this human family. Often this is a solidarity in weakness, in brokenness, in woundedness, but it leads us to the center of joy, which is sharing our humanity with others. —Henri J. M. Nouwen, Bread for the Journey

At first glance, that seems like a paradox—how can joy be found in suffering with others? Yet when we enter into someone else's pain with a heart of empathy, we reflect the very nature of Christ, who did not remain distant from our suffering but stepped into it with us. It’s in that sacred place of shared burden that we discover a deeper, more lasting kind of joy—the joy of love expressed, burdens lightened, and hearts knit together in grace. Jesus showed us this in His ministry—He wept with the grieving, touched the untouchable, and walked alongside the broken. True joy doesn’t come from avoiding pain but from entering it with the hope and healing of Christ. When we love others in this way, we not only become a source of comfort—we also experience the joy of being close to God's heart, where compassion always leads to redemption. Let’s go love someone who is hurting! —DH