Forgiveness is My Function

photo credit: Chris Fischer

ACIM Workbook Lesson #62:

"Forgiveness is my function as the light of the world."

First of all, let’s define forgiveness as letting go of illusions. When I let go of the meaning I have given to everything, I am able to hear something other than my own beliefs dictating my actions and expectations. A shining light of the world told a story on herself at a recent ACIM meeting. She recounted how she became upset over an inconvenience and ended up eating a cheeseburger. This violated many rules she has set for herself about eating meat, gluten, dairy, and not frequenting the place she bought this juicy forbidden food. That night, she woke up in much physical distress and (although she did not say it this way) she reached out to Holy Spirit. She heard a voice call her name and the distress disappeared. While she did not say this either, I feel part of this “miracle” was forgiving herself for breaking material rules and giving herself that one moment of clarity which allows us to BE the expression and experience of God. Whatever the case, it was a wonderful holy instant and a delightful moment for all of us hearing her tale! What a great reminder to look behind the illusion of separation and live our reality as One with divine Love!

Mary Baker Eddy quote: “Truth and Love enlighten the understanding, in whose ‘light shall we see light;’ and this illumination is reflected spiritually by all who walk in the light and turn away from a false material sense.” Science & Health Page 510:9-12

What's Changed?

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #61:

“I am the light of the world”

A lot has changed in the last couple of millennia, don't you think? We could spend hours listing changes in thought and our understanding of our universe! Some things which have not changed much are our ideas about God. Religion has pretty well held us locked in to what has been thought of as truth. Many of us are fearlessly admitting that we are all the expression and experience of God. We're happily allowing our thought to embrace new concepts such as, "I am the light of the world"! This is not a self-important declaration, but an all-inclusive, divine-Love centered exclamation of the wonder we know as Life. Our expanding thought is bringing a joy we never dreamed would be possible on this earth plane. We're starting to understand that the kingdom of heaven is right here, within and without, waiting for us to embrace it. Let's go forth today and shine!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Light: Symbol of Truth; revelation and progress."

Science & Health Page 591:23-24

No Condemnation

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #60

Today we review Lessons 46-50. 

Often, people speak of forgiving but not forgetting. We are told in the first lesson review today that "God does not forgive because He has never condemned." And we are reminded that the forgiveness we are learning about, as human beings, is "the reflection of God's Love on earth." When looked at from this view, it seems senseless to say that we can forgive but not forget. If we truly are, in reality, the perfect reflection of divine Love, if this is the spiritual reality (hence, the only reality), it becomes easy to lay down the sword and go forward living from the heart rather than the brain. We can let go all thoughts of retaliation or revenge and live by the law of grace. I have thoughts bouncing around in my mind concerning someone severing contact with me because of my refusal to help him save the world. As ACIM teaches us, forgiveness is letting go of illusions because, in truth, no harm has occurred. If I have thoughts of blame cross my mind today, I will remember that lack of condemnation is true forgiveness!

Mary Baker Eddy correlative quote:

"Progress takes off human shackles. The finite must yield to the infinite. Advancing to a higher plane of action, thought rises from the material sense to the spiritual, from the scholastic to the inspirational, and from the mortal to the immortal. Love, the divine Principle, is the Father and Mother of the universe, including man."

Science & Health Page 256:1-8

Exponential Growth of Good

photo credit: Arthur Lau-Sed

ACIM Workbook Lesson #59: Today we review Lessons 41-45. 

I've never understood political conflict.  It seems to me that if everyone is for the good of all, what in the world is there to be conflicted about? I simply don't understand why we have these clashes and certainly don't want to talk about these disagreeable scenarios. Times of major elections in our fair country bring out interesting opinions from unexpected places. I try not to listen to any of it, holding to the knowledge of our true selves as the expression of Love, while looking past the rhetoric and seeming idiocy. If God is the Mind with which I think, and that thought is and can only be light, there is no fear nor condemnation necessary. With this realization, we could stop trying to change others' thought to what we think it should be, knowing that every thought based in divine Mind grows exponentially. Let's go forth and multiply -- Mind with a capital M, that is!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"This scientific sense of being, forsaking matter for Spirit, by no means suggests man's absorption into Deity and the loss of his identity, but confers upon man enlarged individuality, a wider sphere of thought and action, a more expansive love, a higher and more permanent peace."

Science & Health Page 265:10-15

One Mind

photo credit: Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #58:

Today we review Lessons 36-40. 

“The perception of my holiness does not bless me alone. Everyone and everything I see in its light shares in the joy it brings to me.” This is part of today’s five-lesson review in A Course in Miracles. We are learning that this holiness is our true state of being as reflections of Love, realized through forgiveness in its purest sense. When I assert this Truth about myself, I affirm it for everyone. Many of us have the idea that to think in such a manner about ourselves is arrogant, something to be avoided. What if the opposite is true, and our arrogance is founded in thinking we can do everything on our own, with our human intellect and reasoning?  Perhaps true humility is letting our only mind be divine Mind, sharing with all because this Mind belongs to everyone and everything! 

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

“The divine origin of Jesus gave him more than human power to expound the facts of creation, and demonstrate the one Mind which makes and governs man and the universe.” Science & Health Page 539: 27-30 

Go Forward With Joy!

photo credit: Jerry Dupy

ACIM Workbook Lesson #57:

Today we review Lessons 31-35. 

I love the freedom of our lesson reviews for today!  "I am not the victim of the world I see."  "I have invented the world I see." "There is another way of looking at the world."  "I could see peace instead of this." "My mind is part of God's. I am very holy." I know quite a few people who are ready to stop the madness and let freedom of thought take us to new heights of equality! And it's not just the airy-fairies who think this way, but physicists and learned people from all walks of life. Every thought counts! Let's go forward today with joy, knowing that's something which will spread without any effort -- other than the sheer happiness of it all!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"The conceptions of mortal, erring thought must give way to the ideal of all that is perfect and eternal. Through many generations human beliefs will be attaining diviner conceptions, and the immortal and perfect model of God's creation will finally be seen as the only true conception of being."

Science & Health Page 260:7-12

Leaving Behind Attack Thoughts

photo by Arthur Lau-Sed

ACIM Workbook Lesson #56:

Today we review Lessons 26-30. 

I have just had a long conversation with a young man who tells me he was sent to earth to facilitate change. He is very passionate about the changes he wants to see, and he is becoming very angry that these changes are not happening according to his schedule. Numerous people told him he needed to talk to me; that I could help him. He wants me to go to school board meetings, amass information for him, and do other things to help him carry out his plan. I’m not sure I was able to impart to him that this is not the kind of “help” I have to offer. Seeing this part of today’s review of topics from A Course in Miracles brought a big smile to my face! “My attack thoughts are attacking my invulnerability. All my hopes and wishes and plans appear to be at the mercy of a world I cannot control. Yet perfect security and complete fulfillment are my inheritance. I have tried to give my inheritance away in exchange for the world I see. But God has kept my inheritance safe for me. My own real thoughts will teach me what it is.”  Peace to you, dear One.

Mary Baker Eddy quote: “The nearer a false belief approaches truth without passing the boundary where, having been destroyed by divine Love, it ceases to be even an illusion, the riper it becomes for destruction.” Science & Health Page 96:13-17