May all beings be healthy.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings find peace and joy.
22 . Allow your feelings of compassion and concern to fill your
heart, and feel the warmth, tenderness, and caring. Radiate
this feeling of compassion out to the world.Compassion—A Prayer
The Archbishop often has a long prayer list for those who are in need.
This happens during designated liturgies and in times of personal prayer.
This ability to open our mind and our heart to others who are suffering,
whether we know them by name or from only the news, helps us to
reorient our heart to compassion from the inevitable self-preoccupations
of our day. You can ask God to help them, or simply ask that they be
given what they need. You can ask God to bless them, or send them your
own blessings that they will be made whole and may be happy.
Compassion—A Fast
The Archbishop fasts on a weekly basis. Fasting not only helps us
develop discipline and self-control but also to foster compassion, as when
we fast, we experience some of the hunger that others do not choose but
are forced to endure. Letting go of our focus on food, which is a
preoccupation for so many, can free more time to spend on thought and
prayer. As the Archbishop got older, his doctors encouraged him to drink
during his fasts, so he began a practice of having “hot chocolate fasts.”
You can choose to fast in a way that makes sense for your body, mind,
and heart.
Generosity Practices
Compassion, as we have discussed, is necessary but not sufficient. It