The Compass of Compassion

The word compass is inside the word compassion. A compass works because it has a magnetized needle that is sensitive to invisible lines of force, and can thus determine magnetic north. Magnetic north can sometimes differ from true North due to differences in the local magnetic field. There are equations and adjustments that can be made to bring magnetic and true north into alignment. Just as the Earth is filled with invisible lines of force that a compass can detect and take advantage of, there are invisible lines of force, of love, connecting all of us together, and we can use the compass of our compassion to align ourselves with those invisible bonds of love and connection. In the parable of the good Samaritan, the priest and the Levite passed by on the other side rather than help the man who had been beaten and left for dead. They were attempting to follow true north without taking into consideration that the local magnetic field had been warped by the evil actions of cruel men. They may have argued that as members of the clergy they would not be able to approach the body of the dead without having to go through an elaborate ritual cleansing, which would prevent them from carrying out their priestly duties and so the ends justified the means of forsaking their neighbor in his time of need. But the Samaritan did not ignore the compass of his compassion. He recognized that in the hierarchy of commandments and religious observances, there was no higher precedence than showing love to God and to his neighbor. Sometimes our compassion will lead us to decisions and actions that may contradict a commandment that could allow us to assuage the guilt of ignoring the invisible lines of connection between us and our neighbors. But the laws and commandments exist to help us to use our compassion more abundantly, not to rob it of any power it might exert over us. When we follow our compass of compassion, we begin to repair the damage that has been done, and little by little, we can bring the local magnetic north in harmony with the true north. Loving God and loving our neighbor are inextricably intertwined and they also supersede any and all other commandments. If ever we are faced with the dilemma of helping someone and following a commandment that would get us out of helping someone, let us choose the higher law. Let us allow the compass of our compassion to follow those invisible lines of love that connect us to our neighbors.