Fr. Monahan calls the battle we face today, a culture of life vs. a culture of death. He then challenges us to be a culture of life, by finding our COMPASSIONATE voice again. Shame and condemnation make healing tough, if not impossible, but being with someone in their pain compassionately is bringing love and healing to those that are hurting.
Fr. Monahan quotes Pope Francis when he states, “the Church is a field hospital for sinners and not a museum for saints.” He encourages everyone to go out and heal wounds. Again, Fr. Monahan states that he can help heal others when we lead with compassion and love. Throughout the bible, compassion is used and recognized as the catalyst for healing. For example, in the passage of the Prodigal Son, we see the heart of the compassionate father running towards his broken son to welcome him home and heal his wounds.
We see compassion again in the Bible when Jesus meets the woman at the well. Jesus met this woman in her brokenness, and gave her the healing she had been thirsting for, by asking her for water, and showing her she was loved and valued.
Finally when the adulterous woman is about to be stoned, Jesus looks into her heart and soul and challenges those around them to do the same. When no one was able to condemn the woman, she was healed of her shame and left feeling loved.
Fr. Monahan encourages everyone to lead with mercy, love, compassion and healing. When we lead with these, we can touch hearts and souls.