Chapter 21

Enrolling in the School of Light Burdens: Learning of Him and Empathetically Suffering

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Paul states that he had to be tempted in all things so that he could succor us.  In other words, as the Son of God condescended to our world to be in our element and to go through some of the same things we go through, he would better understand us and be able to help us.

This logic is often used to justify the suffering of this life.  We can better help others if we ourselves, have to suffer like those to whom we are rendering service.  So, under this logic, I can better minister to cancer patients, if I too have had cancer.  I can better minister to amputees, if I also have a limb amputated.  I can better minister to drug addicts, if I also have an addiction.  I can more effectively help an adulterer if I also have committed adultery. I can help a child molester if I have molested or at least been tempted to molest a child.  I can be of utmost service to a murderer, if I have experienced what it is like to murder. 

At some point, I lost you.  You agreed with me to a point, but then you drew a line.  Of course, it is not necessary to commit murder to understand a murderer.  Jesus did not have to commit adultery to understand and minister to the adulteress. He did not have to be blind, lame, leprous or have an evil spirit in order to be maximally effective.  Nor did he have to go through ANY suffering in order to help us and fully understand us. 

Yes, it is true that he had to condescend to our world, be among us, experience mortality, get tired, weep, and experience other things of this life to be more effective in his mission.  But, it was not necessary for him to be like the ants on a log who are floating down the raging river of life. He was not subject to random events.  It was not necessary for him to have cancer, diabetes, suffer starvation, become crippled, be abducted or be tortured by enemies in a war torn country. Jesus, at all times, was in control.  He, like Adam and Eve, had dominion over the elements.  He, like Adam and Eve, had to learn to sweat, become weary from traveling long distances and he had to rest.  But, it was only when he voluntarily surrendered himself to his enemies, that he was subject to the atrocities experienced by others.  His message to us is that we are not required to suffer the calamities and disasters of life, if we will but believe on him and live the First and Second Great Commandments.

Jesus said,

Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world

We assume that he overcame the world after his resurrection, when he was finally free from his enemies.   However, I declare that he overcame the world early in his life.  I declare that Jesus learned everything he needed to know about understanding and succoring the weak and afflicted by a process known as empathetic suffering or more simply, compassion.

Empathy literally means to feel what the other person is feeling.  Likewise, compassion, its sister, means to “suffer together” by feeling what the other feels.

How does one literally feel what others are feeling without going through the same circumstances or being “in their shoes”?  

When Jesus said, “When ye have done it to the least of these my bretheren, ye have done it unto me.”  He was talking about the essence of living this principle of empathetic suffering.  He gave the example of the Good Samaritan.  The Samaritan was good because he empathetically suffered with the man who had been set upon by thieves and muggers.  He felt the man’s pain, empathized with him and succored him.  However, the Good Samaritan, did not have to be attacked by thieves in order to optimally benefit the victim.

Have you ever wondered how we could really be doing it to Jesus when we serve the least of our brethren?  It is because the powers of empathy are so highly developed in Jesus that he has become one with all of us, to such a degree that we literally are doing it to him.  But, here is the great paradox and beautiful mystery so common in Jesus’ teachings, he can feel our suffering without harming his happiness and joy.  He can hug, kiss, go to the weddings of loved ones, engage in conversations with his loved ones, and in all ways “be of good cheer”, while at the same time being perfectly empathetic and aware.  He expects the same from us,

When Jesus said, “Blessed are they that mourn, for they will be comforted”,  we may assume he was referring to someone who has lost a loved one or who is at a funeral.  Yes, it applies to them but he was directing it to the Good Samaritans, those who are his true followers, who lose their life in service and succor the weak and afflicted.  They, his servants, mourn with those who mourn and consequently, they are comforted by the power of the Holy Ghost.  It is this gift of the Holy Ghost that leads to charity that is the perfect manifestation of this empathetic compassion and empathic service.  The Comforter allows the follower of Christ to have perfect balance between empathetic compassion, to cry and feel sorrow, while at the same time, growing and increasing in happiness and joy.

Christ has said, “Perfect love casteth out fear”.  Here, Christ was referring to terror, horror, the kind of fear that leaves one in a mental state of agony.  It is the abject fear of a parent who has a child suddenly abducted and begins imagining what their child is going through, what kind of sexual abuse, torture or other atrocity they are experiencing.  This kind of suffering IS NOT required of us.  This is not the life abundant that Jesus has promised us.