1. Mercy: THE ABUNDANT COMPASSION OF GOD

2. A Biblical View of God’s Mercy Quality of character of God Purpose-LIFE itself

3. Rahamim as Compassion Rehem (singular noun form) means womb or uterus Rahamim (plural noun form) means compassion, mercy and love Rahum (adjectival form) means merciful

4. God IS the merciful One

5. The Threefold Dynamic of Mercy: The Exodus Event

6. God’s first three “I” Statements I see the misery of my people I hear their cries I know their sufferings

7. God’s next three “I” Statements I have come down I have come down to free the people I will send Moses to free the people from the Egyptians

8. Threefold Biblical Pattern of Mercy 1.Seeing and hearing suffering 2.Responding with Compassion 3.Acting in ways that free people from suffering and generate life

9. Questions for Reflection and Journaling 1.How have I participated in the threefold dynamic of God’s mercy in my current ministry? 2.When have I seen suffering, felt compassion, and responded in ways that have liberated or brought life to administration, faculty, staff or students?

10. Mercy: THE ABUNDANT COMPASSION OF GOD

11. Compassion: A Philosophical Perspective

12. Compassion as a Virtue The “affliction of compassion” Not only a felt response to suffering Contains underlying structure of thought

13. Compassion’s Underlying Structure of Thought 1.Suffering is serious rather than trivial 2.Awakens when we believe a person or community does not deserve such suffering 3.Arises when we believe we could suffer something similar

14. Significance of Awareness of Vulnerability

15. Questions for Reflection and Journaling 1.How have I experienced God’s mercy lately? When has someone seen my suffering, drawn near, had compassion, and acted on my behalf? 2.What serious suffering in today’s world evokes compassion in me?

16. Mercy: THE ABUNDANT COMPASSION OF GOD

17. Developing Mercy in Childhood and Adolescence

18. Children Ages 2-7 Magical Thinking

19. Developing Compassion Appeal to Imagination

20. Developing Compassion Appeal to Imagination Assist children in caring for others Notice when they do care

21. Developing Compassion Appeal to Imagination Assist children in caring for others Notice when they do care Help them recognize feelings of others

22. Developing Compassion Appeal to Imagination Assist children in caring for others Notice when they do care Help them recognize feelings of others Help them appreciate and accept differences

23. Notice Compassion in response to Metaphorical Speech

24. Children Ages 7-13

25. Concrete thinkers Live in linear, orderly, predictable world Want to know about limits Age of Collecting Have a greater capacity to tell stories Children Ages 7-13

26. Developing Compassion Read books describing people of compassion

27. Developing Compassion Read books describing people of compassion Collect personal items for people in shelters

28. Developing Compassion Read books describing people of compassion Collect personal items for people in shelters Sort and distribute food at food banks

29. Developing Compassion Read books describing people of compassion Collect personal items for people in shelters Sort and distribute food at food banks Tutor younger children

30. Mercy: Response to Expressed Vulnerability

31. Teens and Young Adults

32. Abstract thinkers See all kinds of relations and implications Ask universal questions Detect logical inconsistencies

33. Teens and Young Adults Black and white thinkers Bad things won’t happen to me Tremendous amount of physical energy Have strong feelings they want to express Develop important and interesting relationships

34. Teens and Young Adults Highly self-conscious Strong outward thrust Can be immediate and reactionary Can take unnecessary risks Think they can save the world

35. Adolescent Angst

36. Developing Compassion Seeing and hearing them Treating them with respect and compassion Acting toward them with kindness Finding ourselves amazed and delighted by them

37. Developing Compassion Putting them in touch with great suffering of the world

38. Developing Compassion Guided active engagement with suffering Senior Service Programs, Habitat for Humanity

39. Power of Presence

40. Questions for Reflection and Journaling 1.How have you evoked compassionate mercy among your students? 2.How have your students or your colleagues elicited compassionate mercy from you?

41. Mercy: THE ABUNDANT COMPASSION OF GOD