Compassionate Presence

According to Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil, the strongest tool is a "compassionate presence." (See my blog of 23 August.) He says, "Our presence itself must have a message. You will have to keep cool even if during the discussions a man jumps and shouts: 'for every one of us that they killed, I will shoot ten of them!' Even in such occasions what I must try to do is to understand his inner pain than sit in judgement on his aggressive emotion." Salesian presence, I am convinced, is such kind of a compassionate and encouraging presence. It is a non-judgmental and non-threatening presence. It is easy to be present as a police-man or spy or judge. But it is a difficult thing to be present as one who suffers with the other, as one who endures the pain and also be patient... not be pushy expecting immediate or efficient results.