Ulisses Soares | The Savior’s Abiding Compassion | Oct 2021 General Conference | Faith To Act

The Savior’s Abiding Compassion
By Elder Ulisses Soares

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

The expression of compassion for others is the essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

One of the most striking principles taught by the Savior during His earthly ministry was treating others with compassion. Let us reflect on this principle and its practical application by considering the account of Jesus’s visit to the home of Simon the Pharisee.

The Gospel of Luke relates that a certain woman, considered a sinner, entered Simon’s home while Jesus was there. In humble contrition, the woman approached Jesus, washed His feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair, and then kissed and anointed them with a special ointment.1 The proud host, who considered himself morally superior to the woman, thought to himself with reproach and arrogance, “This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.”2

The Pharisee’s holier-than-thou attitude led him to judge unjustly both Jesus and the woman. But in His omniscience, the Savior knew Simon’s mind and, in great wisdom, challenged Simon’s condescending attitude, as well as admonished him for his lack of courtesy in receiving a special guest like the Savior into his home. In fact, Jesus’s direct rebuke of the Pharisee served as a witness that Jesus indeed possessed the gift of prophecy and that this woman, with a humble and contrite heart, was repentant and forgiven for her sins.3

As do many other events during Jesus’s earthly ministry, this account demonstrates once more that the Savior acted compassionately toward all who would come unto Him—without distinction—and most especially toward those who most needed His help. The contrition and reverent love shown to Jesus by the woman were evidence of her sincere repentance and desire to receive a remission of her sins. However, Simon’s superiority complex, coupled with his hardened heart,4 prevented him from showing empathy for that repentant soul, and he referred even to the Savior of the world with indifference and contempt. His attitude revealed that his way of life was nothing more than a strict and hollow observance of rules and outward manifestations of his convictions through self-aggrandizement and false holiness.5

The compassionate and personalized ministering of Jesus in this account demonstrates a perfect model of how we should interact with our neighbor. The scriptures have countless examples of how the Savior, moved by His deep and abiding compassion, interacted with people of His day and helped those who were suffering and those who had “fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.”6 He extended His merciful hand to those who needed relief from their burdens, both physically and spiritually.7

The compassionate attitude of Jesus is rooted in charity,8 namely, in His pure and perfect love, which is the essence of His atoning sacrifice. Compassion is a fundamental characteristic of those who strive for sanctification, and this divine quality intertwines with other Christian traits such as mourning with those who mourn and having empathy, mercy, and kindness.9 The expression of compassion for others is, in fact, the essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ and a marked evidence of our spiritual and emotional closeness to the Savior. Furthermore, it shows the level of influence He has on our way of life and demonstrates the magnitude of our spirits.

It is meaningful to observe that Jesus’s compassionate acts were not occasional or mandated manifestations based on a list of tasks to be completed but everyday expressions of the reality of His pure love for God and His children and His abiding desire to help them.

General Conference Saturday Morning Session October 2021

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