# 5 The Cry of Compassion...the last sermon
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“The Cry of Compassion.”
Dr. Chris Anderson, # 1417, Heidelberg UCC, York, PA, Lent V, 3-21-2010, Psalm 57:1, 5th in a Series on the Five Cries, Theological Worlds by W. Paul Jones
So far during Lent we have looked at the cry of the mystic, the cry of the social activist, the cry of the adventurer and the cry of the sinner. This Sunday we conclude this series by looking at the cry of the wounded healer. The wounded healer’s cry is best seen through the Psalm 57:1 “In the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storm pass by.”
Do you see life as harsh? Have you ever wanted to merely help support people so they can survive to the next day with dignity? Have you ever thought that you might like to be a hospice volunteer? Do you see yourself as loyal, tenacious, dependable, with a capacity to outlast others? Do you see yourself as realistic and consider other Christians too optimistic? Do you see God mainly as a refuge or a shelter?
If you can say yes to any of these questions then at least part of you is what can be called a wounded healer.
The best known example of a wounded healer as a type of Christian is Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Here was a woman who sensed a calling that every adventurer type of Christian would see as completely unproductive. Mother Teresa felt called to find the poor dying people of Calcutta and to make their last days comfortable. She wanted to let them die with dignity.
Take a moment and think of this carefully. Teaching Sunday School raises the next generation. Offering marriage counseling helps prevent divorce. Having an evangelistic campaign reaches a new generation for Christ. What does helping the needy die with dignity do for the next generation?
The cry of the wounded healer is: “In the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storm pass by.” This cry aims very low. This cry does not want to change the world but only to help people through the storms of life.
There is one group of Christians that scores very high on being this type of Christian. These are the hospice workers. Would you ever want to be a hospice worker? 100% of those they care for die within a few months of them meeting! Hospice workers do not go back to where they served before and meet up with old clients. The people they serve die and die soon. Otherwise they would not be accepted into hospice!
The cry of the wounded healer is: “In the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storm pass by.”
One of the great hymns for this type of Christian is the negro spiritual “No one knows the Trouble I’ve Seen, Nobodies knows but Jesus ” Probably the most popular hymn that fits into this type of Christian is “What a Friend We Have In Jesus.”
“Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do they friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he’ll take and shield thee, thou wilt find a solace there.”
Notice this type of Christian is very different from the optimistic adventurer who believes God will do anything he or she wants. The wounded healer doesn’t ask to change the world but like Bob Dylan sees deep trouble and wants refuge:
“I was burned out from exhaustion, buried in the hail,
Poisoned in the bushes an’ blown out on the trail,
Hunted like a crocodile, ravaged in the corn.
“Come in,” she said. “I’ll give you shelter from the storm.”
“In the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storm pass by.”
Though this pessimism or realism is often a good balance for the overly optimistic adventurer, like any of the other types of Christian this type of Christian worldview can have its own problems. The wounded healer needs to learn from the adventurer that we need the power of the Holy Spirit so they don’t get burnt out. They also need to catch the vision of the social activist so that they work for change in the world and not merely let the evil conditions prevail. The forgiven sinner can teach them that God is with them even when they do the wrong thing in caring for the needy. The mystic can teach them to have the hope that even if things are bad now someday “Wrong will be right, when Alsan comes in sight.”
I hope that we have maybe learned something about us as Christians and also about other Christians who are a bit different. As Christians, we should be in touch with all five of these Christian cries. Let us not neglect any of the five Christian cries.
Bct...@aol.com
Thank you for sharing your sermon series with us. I did not see myself in the wounded healer.