December 7, 2013 - What is a Miracle?

"Cardinal Beauty"
photo by Arthur Lau-Sed

ACIM Workbook Lesson #341

"I can attack but my own sinlessness, and it is only that which keeps me safe."

Today's lesson begins the next to the last section which is entitled, What is a Miracle? There is such confusion surrounding this topic, I will simply copy this beautiful introduction here. May it help you to see the miracle of grace, the miracle of Life, the miracle of Love.

"A miracle is a correction. It does not create, nor really change at all. It merely looks on devastation, and reminds the mind that what it sees is false. It undoes error, but does not attempt to go beyond perception, nor exceed the function of forgiveness. Thus it stays within time's limits. Yet it paves the way for the return of timelessness and love's awakening, for fear must slip away under the gentle remedy it brings.

A miracle contains the gift of grace, for it is given and received as one. And thus it illustrates the law of truth the world does not obey, because it fails entirely to understand its ways. A miracle inverts perception which was upside down before, and thus it ends the strange distortions that were manifest. Now is perception open to the truth. Now is forgiveness seen as justified.

Forgiveness is the home of miracles. The eyes of Christ deliver them to all they look upon in mercy and in love. Perception stands corrected in His sight, and what was meant to curse has come to bless. Each lily of forgiveness offers all the world the silent miracle of love. And each is laid before the Word of God, upon the universal altar to Creator and creation in the light of perfect purity and endless joy.

The miracle is taken first on faith, because to ask for it implies the mind has been made ready to conceive of what it cannot see and does not understand. Yet faith will bring its witnesses to show that what it rested on is really there. And thus the miracle will justify your faith in it, and show it rested on a world more real than what you saw before; a world redeemed from what you thought was there.

Miracles fall like drops of healing rain from Heaven on a dry and dusty world, where starved and thirsty creatures come to die. Now they have water. Now the world is green. And everywhere the signs of life spring up, to show that what is born can never die, for what has life has immortality."

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"The miracle of grace is no miracle to Love."

Science & Health Page 494:15

December 11, 2012 - What is a Miracle?

"South Africa Misty Morning"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIMWorkbook Lesson #345

"I offer only miracles today,

For I would have them be returned to me."

When I first began reading ACIM writings, the word "miracle" bothered me very much. As a student of Christian Science, I had learned that a miracle, as we think of it, is non-existent, because all these wonderful things are natural occurrences. And so there are actually no such things as miracles, only a revealing of the perfection that Is. But, as with many words, it is only the meaning we have placed upon them that makes them good or bad. Now I choose to think of miracles as anything which reveals the omnipresence of God, good. By this I can freely offer miracles to others and accept them in turn. God's goodness is reflected in my actions and everyone else's. This I embrace whole-heartedly. Giving and receiving; receiving and giving. What a lovely cycle!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Christian marvels (and marvel is the simple meaning of the Greek word rendered miracle in the New Testament) will be misunderstood and misused by many, until the glorious Principle of these marvels is gained."

Science & Health Page 474:11-15

March 18, 2012 - Celebrate!

ACIM workbook lesson #77

"I am entitled to miracles."

Aaron in Montana
Photo by Heather Magnan

[Marsha's thoughts]

Yesterday being St. Patrick's Day, I've been thinking about celebrations and the reasons behind why we do these things. Most if not all of them are based on some myth, which is usually fairly odd and far-fetched. Even those which are based on facts -- i.e., 4th of July, Independence Day -- carry with them some blatant prejudice and strange behaviors. So why do we do these things? It's all based on history of some sort, remembrances of past material events, and it usually involves a lot of drinking and so-called celebrating, and there is generally some sort of nationalism involved. Like today's St. Patrick's Day craziness -- what's up with that? Perhaps it's because we all want to believe in magical beings which will give us happiness and abundance. We tend to believe that these things are somewhere and that we can find them if we only get lucky enough to be at the end of the rainbow. Or everything will be great if we give our lives to Jesus so we can receive the kingdom. And don't forget about those birthday wishes coming true if we blow out the candles thoroughly! Maybe we celebrate so hard because we innately know all this good is ours simply for the acknowledgement of it, but we don't understand how to do that. These miracles we so desperately seek are the natural order of things, and can be had for the knowing of them. So we dance, drink, celebrate. We wildly strive to find what is already ours, which we would see if we only look within and acknowledge who we truly are. The miracle is God's law. Now that's something to celebrate!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"A miracle fulfills God's law, but does not violate that law. This fact at present seems more mysterious than the miracle itself."

Science & Health Page 134:31-32