Compassion
-sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings
or misfortunes of others
- a feeling of wanting to help someone who is
sick, hungry, in trouble
Etymology
Latin: compati com- to bear pati – to suffer
Latin word meaning: “co-suffering” or “suffer
with”
Middle English: Anglo French compassion
Synonyms
1) Sympathy - Feeling of pity and sorrow
for someone else’s misfortune
2) Mercy - Compassion of forgive ness
shown toward someone whom it is
within one’s power to punish or harm.
3) Sensitivity - a person’s feelings which
might be easily offended or hurt;
sensibilities.
4) Empathy - The ability to understand and
share the feelings of another.
5) Pity - The feeling of sorrow and
compassion cause by the suffering and
misfortune of others.
Antonyms
1) Indifference – lack of interest, concern
of sympathy.
2) Apathy- the feeling of not having much
emotion or interest.
3) Unconcern – lack of worry or interest in
something.
4) Insouciance – a feeling of not worrying
about anything.
5) Harshness – grim or unpleasantly
severe; stern; cruel; austere
Idiomatic Expressions
1) one’s deepest sympathy – one’s very
sincere sympathy.
2) have pity on someone – to have
compassion toward someone or an
animal
3) your heart bleeds (for somebody) – you
feel sadness and sympathy for
someone.
4) Have one’s heart in the right place – to
have good intentions, even if there are
bad results
5) Have something on the one’s
conscience – to have persistent feelings
of guilt about something, such as an act
of wrongdoing.
Manifestations
1) Stop and help.
2) Listen when pothers want to talk.
3) Give resources to help those who need.
4) Readiness to give comfort, sympathy
and empathy, and concern.
5) Comfort others without regard to race,
gender, faith, age, and nationality.
Elements
1) Understanding of the real world that
there is neither naïve nor cynical
2) Capacity to truly identify object one’s
compassion
3) Genuine moral outrage
Benefits
1) It makes you happy.
2) It uplifts everyone.
3) Contentment and joy.
4) Greater wisdom and emotional
intelligence.
5) Improve social relationships.
Biblical Application

“For if you forgive others their trespasses,

your heavenly Father will also forgive you,
but if you do not forgive others their
trespasses, neither will your Father forgive
your trespasses.”

Matthew 6:14-15