Liturgies
Tuesday, June 16th
Empathy – Liturgy June 14, 2026
The homily reflects on empathy, trauma, and the way we respond to others, especially when their behaviour is shaped by fear or past wounds. Empathy is presented as a deeply human capacity that allows us to enter another person’s experience without losing our own grounding, and as the foundation for kindness, generosity, and compassion.
Trauma, however, can narrow a person’s window of tolerance, affect the brain’s capacity for reflection and regulation, and cause present situations to be experienced through the lens of past pain. This understanding invites us to move away from judgment and toward a trauma-informed response that creates safety, listens deeply, supports autonomy, and holds space for others with compassion and respect.