The Altar Of The Heart

Rumi once wrote: "I see one altar in temple, mosque and cathedral.”Rumi implies that with one altar one God is worshipped by Jews, Muslims and Christians.The Dalai Lama said that "Kindness is my religion." And he has said that love is at the core of every religion. Given his study of religion and looking at my own study I am inclined to agree.Our hearts are the altars on which we lay our sacrifices, our prayers, our hope and our loss.It is on the altar of our hearts that God whispers the answers to our prayers, it is where we recognize our blessings.The altar of our hearts is the medium by which we communicate to our God and those we've lost along the way.The altar of our hearts guides us through life as a compass guides the lost.In modern life the heart is often forgotten or cast aside in favor of the analytical.It is easier to cast the heart aside than to take on the responsibility that comes with being truly loving.One famous Sufi Hallaj once said "I am God." And it was considered as truth by many precisely because once you are in touch with the love within each soul you have discovered the love of God and have discovered oneness with Him.It is with our hearts that we find union with God and each other. It is the means by which we meet hate with love, it is how we love our enemies and find the strength to pray for those who curse us.It is, I think, how Christ was able to beg God to forgive His murderers. I also think it was the vehicle to allow Christ to bear the burden of the atonement.It is I believe what allows us to rise above a fallen state into the glorious state we were created to be.It is what we all seek I think but it has always been seeking us.