From Strong’s Concordance:

"Compassion – σπλαγχνίζομαι; splagchnizomai – Pronounciation= splänkh-nē’-zo-mī – to be moved as to one’s
bowels, hence to be moved with compassion, have compassion (for the
bowels were thought to be the seat of love and pity)"

It made me laugh to learn that in biblical times, compassion was most closely related to a tummy ache. However, the idea that something could move you so much that it, well, "moved" you is interesting.  I don’t know that I’ve felt any symptoms of this sort of compassion before, but I know that I have felt sympathy with other’s sufferings.

I’ve never had my things washed away in a tsunami or cyclone.  I’ve never lost everything I’ve had to a fire.  Really, my life has been pretty much devoid of all catastrophic things.  Hence my lack of empathy.  I’ve never been there, I don’t understand the feeling the way that other people do.  For instance, my wife is about to have a baby.  She keeps having contractions and trying to explain how they feel to me.  "They’re kinda like having a really bad back ache (I can empathize), but the pain is all over your abdomen (no idea what she means)."  Without actually carrying a child myself, I really can’t empathize. 

What I can do is sympathize.  I don’t like seeing her in pain.  I get her hot packs for her aches and bring her drinks when she’s too hot.  I don’t know what she’s feeling exactly, but I don’t like it.  The same goes for victims of major disasters.  Just because I haven’t experienced it, it doesn’t mean that I can’t or don’t care.  I can feel sorry for those who lost their homes and lives in Hurricane Katrina and the earthquake in China.  I can send money to the Red Cross.  I really can be moved to the point of emotional pain by the pain that others feel.

This is the embodiement of Compassion.  Being so sympathetic to someone’s pain that it drives you to do something about it.  This is why we start Compassionate tonight.  There is pain in the world, and Jesus calls us to do something about it.  "He saw the multitudes and was moved with compassion…"

7PM tonight in the New Buisness Building, Room 110.

So what is a TD anyway?  I’m not talking about Touch Downs or Total Domination, but about Thursday Dinners.  These free meals come with a bunch of people to hang out with, a place to sit, and a short devotional about something spiritual.  I know, I know, you’re asking, "But why, oh great writer of the blog, should I, a lonely college student, come to eat at the Christ Center at 5pm on Thursday nights when I can get my meals in the Cafeteria?"  Well, reader, I am glad you theoretically asked. 

Firstly, it’s a well proven fact that eating food keeps you alive longer.  Even more than that, it’s well known that not paying anything for afore mentioned food will cost less than actually paying for the food.  Furthermore, eating within community makes aforementioned "free meal" even better, because according to the "theory of the ice cube tray," spending time with cool people makes you cooler.  Plus, cafeteria food has been determined to cause serious boredom, mostly due to the repetitous servings of "breaded meat-like cutlets" with "Masked potato-substance" and "Gravy-flavored semi-liquids."  Basically, it’s a great chance to not eat there, just to break up the monotany of it all.

So come and enjoy tonight.  I believe spaghetti will be served, hot and ready, at 5pm.  There should be some sides and drinks as well, along with a bunch of super cool people to hang out with and get to know.  Just watch out for Z, he’s a downer….

 Once, long ago, men knew how to be men.  There were no "gender neutral" bathrooms, and there wasn’t a question of who went out and killed dinner with a spear.  Things have changed.  There are lots of single fathers who have to do take care of the kids, and there ARE gender neutral bathrooms, and most men haven’t ever killed any animal, unless you can count the cat that you accidentally hit with your Ford Taurus.  And you can’t eat that (or your shouldn’t at least.)

Now, these things don’t necessarily define manhood, but they are a lot closer than TPS reports and cooking mac and cheese.  Many men have lost their concept of manhood.  During the time of college men set up who they are going to be for the rest of their lives, so this is the time that it’s important to lock in their concept of what it is to be a man.

At Manday, we look at the real Jesus as our example of who we want to be.  Not the nice, boring Jesus that you see paintings of up on people mantle, but the dangerous, subversive, loving, protecting, strong Jesus that He really was.  Niceness is killing men, binding them to do the easy thing all the time, to give up on ever being a leader and to shun responsibility, and denying them the greater reward that comes with hardship. 

At Manday, we work to break these bonds and free men to be who God created them to be.  We live by four principles; 1. Accept responsibilty, 2. Lead courageously, 3. Reject passivity, and 4. Seek the greater reward.  We also laud the doing of anything cool – whether it be building a fire with sticks, throwing hatchets, knowing how to sharpen and use a broadsword, or watching too much Monday night football. 

So men, harken unto the calling that God has given.  Come, be a part of something bigger than yourself, learn how to fend off a zombie attack and share the wisdom of using the I formation!  Manday calls.  Clear your schedules.  Do something you’ve never tried before.  Live.

I’m a day and a half late, and much longer than that since we have updated the website, but I am here and just put together two and two to think, "This place has Wi-Fi in every room.  Almost all of the people attending has a laptop."  SO… I’m going to try to keep a running set of posts as I buzz around, flitting among the Chuckwagon Cafe and various seminars, and I’m going to do my best to encourage others from MSC to do the same.  I hope anyone who may catch this will enjoy it – and to those who read this later, may it serve as a training tool and reminder of the amazing ways that God works here at student week.

 
-Kevin 

While you’re at it, take a look at our About page and see who we are.