THE OTHER SHORE

THE OTHER SHORE 

Our arrival at birth, has begun a journey as an infant, into an elderly person of stature, waiting for departure. What falls in between, is a progressive culmination of life. A journey of the heart, reaching far and wide, escalating in a spiritual awareness, to seek the highest goal of goodness and eternal life with God. A person's life, is integrated with love and sorrow, with joy and disappointments, accomplishments and failures. Of all we do, from start to finish, each of us is touched in some way, connected in plotting a course, to reach the other shore. 

In early years, this importance, is unimportant, drifting about here and there, creating a fallacy of happiness. Being consumed with materialistic values and striving for a life of luxury, the heart is not focused in obtaining a course of action. It is here, our vessel is without a sail, or a wind to propel its movement. An empty heart, has no motivation. It has no substance. This vessel, is our heart. It needs to be infatuated with compassion. This turning of the tide, will propel the sails onward, to begin, to melt away the things we deemed were so important. 

As we mature in age, our priorities are rearranged in different directions, different proportions. It is here, our hearts open to the rays of the cross, reaching for the bridge to heaven. Prayer life, becomes a serious component, etching into our hearts, a longing, to communicate a dialogue of compassionate and fragrant offerings. 

Compassionate prayer is the vehicle that is swiftly uplifted and heard in heaven. This overture, is a mist of one's inner tears, reaching angels and saints with an overwhelming of sensitivity. When the heart has such an outpouring of compassion, unselfish in petition, is it not heard in heaven, with compassion as well? Fragrance of the heart is a grace; it is the furnace of the soul, a churning reservoir of reverence, interlocking with God. 

A compassionate heart is unable to contain itself, and must reach out to satisfy its desire to give. It is unlimited in its offerings; and its thirst is quenched, when an offering is accepted, and a heart has been touched, giving relief to one's burdens. Our vessel of heart, occupies the persons and the things we have done, an inventory of our works, increasing in value the richness of our inner self. It is this extension from one heart to another, a continuous flow of compassionate gestures, which generates the vessel, to cross the void, and reach the other shore. 

It is unrealistic to believe, our soul is directly uplifted in a straight line to heaven. It is here I tell you, the mist of tears is the water that floats your vessel. Without this instillment of compassion, your heart is on the opposite shore stranded in shallow waters, restricted in its movement. Like Noah who built the ark, to carry those God instructed, to safety; the ark and our vessel, two of the same, to carry those in our hearts on the waters of compassion. Do not be left with an empty vessel. Build now, the contents of your heart, gathering in, those in need, with gestures of compassion. Open up your heart with contemplative prayer, fill it with love. Mold it; form the vessel; use what has been given to you, to help others reach the other shore. 

As my days here wind down for departure, I have been very fortunate, to have had opportunities to intercede on behalf of those in need. My vessel sails onward, in tears of compassion, gathering in someone from an island, here and there. And when I have been taken up to the other shore, I will offer this vessel to my God. 

Lord God, do not judge me by my youth, but gather me into your shore, with humble gifts of souls I bring to you. And with compassionate tears, I heard you across the waters, calling: "Come home, my son. Come home and rest, on the other shore." 

Robert J. Varrick
rjvarrick@gmail.com