Christ, in taking our nature upon Him, engaged to sympathize with us. Almost every creature is tender towards its kind, however ferocious to others. The savage bear will not be deprived of her cubs without resistance, but will tear the intruder to pieces if she can. How great must be the jealousy of our loving God and Lord for us His children! He will not be deprived easily of any of them. Having taken them to be His own members, for we are such, He watches over them with tenderest care. How much will a man do, and bear, before he suffers one of his bodily members to be cut off! Think not that any one of us would do more to preserve his own members than our Lord will do for us. In all things, the pre-eminence is His. He is acquainted with all our temptations, having been once tempted in all things like as ice are, without sin. Are you, then, tempted to deny or forget God? So was Christ. Are you tempted to prefer the world's favour to God? So was Christ. Are you tempted by the world's vanities? So was He. Are you tempted to please and serve the devil? So was He. From His birth in the stable of Bethlehem, to His death on the cross, He was tempted; and He, our divine head in heaven, sympathizes now with us - His feet pinched and pressed on earth. Shall not that mind be in us which was in Christ Jesus? There is great consolation and weighty instruction in our Lord's sympathy with us. For ought not we to sympathize with our fellow-creatures, and Christians, in their trials and sorrows; as one writes beautifully -
I ask Thee for a thoughtful love,
Through constant watching wise;
To meet the glad with joyful smiles,
And wipe the weeping eyes.
And a heart at leisure from itself,
To soothe and sympathize.
- text taken from Daily Bread - Bring a Few Morning Meditations for the Use of Catholic Christians by Father Richard Waldo Sibthorp