Christmas With the Catholics

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

Eureka Springs, AR

A few years ago, when I first began playing the organ at our local Catholic Church, I had never played for any services other than the Christian Science Society of Eureka Springs.  Not only was I a bit reticent because I hadn’t played in quite some time, but there were aspects of Catholicism which I found off-putting, such as their penchant for declaring themselves sinners. As it turns out, this was a perfect opportunity for me to practice non-judgment and to realize more fully what forgiveness truly is. Today, I focus on this institution’s desire to be charitable, to be kind, and to love with a pure heart. As I play for two services a week, I get plenty of practice at seeing them in this light. Their hypnotic rituals are difficult to ignore, so I replace them with readings of my own, discretely hidden with my music at the keyboard.  I love the young priest’s homilies and there are many people with whom I’ve developed friendships. During this time of holiday cheer, I am grateful to be providing sweet music in their beautiful church. For local people, midnight mass starts at 4 p.m., with our Christmas music program beginning at 3:30. Join us!

"Thoughts unspoken are not unknown to the divine Mind. Desire is prayer, and no loss can occur from trusting God with our desires, that they may be molded and exalted before they take form in words and in deeds." 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 1:1-10 

“No call to God can be unheard nor left unanswered. And of this I can be sure; His answer is the one I really want. You Who remember what I really am alone remember what I really want. You speak for God, and so You speak for me. And what You give me comes from God Himself. Your Voice, my Father, then is mine as well, and all I want is what You offer me, in just the form You choose that it be mine. Let me remember all I do not know, and let my voice be still, remembering. But let me not forget Your Love and care, keeping Your promise to Your Son in my awareness always. Let me not forget myself is nothing, but my Self is all.”

A Course in Miracles W-358.1:1-7

No Conflicts in Truth

Image from Tanjab Artistry

The daily lessons in A Course in Miracles Workbook sweetly guide us through the spiritual principles we examine daily. The Christian Science weekly lesson consists of 26 topics which are rotated through twice a year. Watching these two disciplines flirt with each other, culminating in a merging which is seamless in its union, has been an exciting adventure for me! The Truth is the Truth no matter where you find it. What I love about these two practices is that there is no conflict, no space where I must set one aside for the other. They each have an elegant delivery, which guides me through our material belief to spiritual sense. Today I see us realizing our unity, as the reflection of divine Love. As a popular soft drink commercial has been telling us for years: "I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony!" It is not necessary to teach this miracle; it is only a remembering of Truth. 

"Truth is affirmative, and confers harmony. All metaphysical logic is inspired by this simple rule of Truth, which governs all reality."  

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 418:20-22

“Truth answers every call we make to God, responding first with miracles, and then returning unto us to be itself. Forgiveness, truth’s reflection, tells me how to offer miracles, and thus escape the prison house in which I think I live. Your holy Son is pointed out to me, first in my brother; then in me. Your Voice instructs me patiently to hear Your Word, and give as I receive. And as I look upon Your Son today, I hear Your Voice instructing me to find the way to You, as You appointed that the way shall be: ‘Behold his sinlessness, and be you healed.’”

A Course in Miracles W-357.1:1-5

The Healing Power of Horses

Creation of Sandy Wythawai Starbird

The documentary, Herd, is a film about the healing power of horses, our connection with all things, and compassion. Liz Mitten Ryan is an artist, an author, and a compassionate human. She has developed a retreat in British Columbia where she and ten or so horses, a big old steer, and a few dogs and cats, hold healing retreats for people who are ready to face themselves and release pain. As one woman said, “This is not so much a place to escape as it is a place to leave things behind that you don’t want any more.” All the people sharing their stories in this hour-long film had emotional baggage holding them hostage: loss of a young child, abuse of various types, or one man simply wanted to become a better physician and parent. The founder of this beautiful retreat discovered that two of her horses would touch her chakras when she was laying in their midst, and she would feel unified with them. She began to write about this phenomenon and states that she didn’t know if she was telling the animals’ stories or her own. (She says the dogs and cats were in on it, too.) She realized that horses see the invisible all around us, and that's what makes them amazing healers. We have much to learn, and the animals are ready to teach us. When we are in our truth, they come to us, and that is all they ask. 

"As mortals gain more correct views of God and man, multitudinous objects of creation, which before were invisible, will become visible. When we realize that Life is Spirit, never in nor of matter, this understanding will expand into self-completeness, finding all in God, good, and needing no other consciousness." 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 264:13

“Sickness is but another name for sin. Healing is but another name for God. The miracle is thus a call to Him. Father, You promised You would never fail to answer any call Your Son might make to You. It does not matter where he is, what seems to be his problem, nor what he believes he has become. He is Your Son, and You will answer him. The miracle reflects Your Love, and thus it answers him. Your Name replaces every thought of sin, and who is sinless cannot suffer pain. Your Name gives answer to Your Son, because to call Your Name is but to call his own.”

A Course in Miracles W-356.1:1-6

I Can Be At Peace Now

Photo credit: Aaron Springston

The Dalai Lama has many profound and beautiful messages for us. He speaks of peace and love, reminding us of our true identity in such an unassumingly pure way. His gleeful words never leave me where they found me, and for this I am most grateful. I remember a video of his entitled "Compassion in Emptiness". In this talk, he addresses the importance of relationships based in honesty and trust. The joyfulness born of these interactions is essential to our liberation from fearful illusions. The trust and honesty he speaks of isn't limited to those who have "earned" it. It isn't limited in ANY way. As we go through our daily activities, let's remember to treat everyone with the loving respect and courtesy with which we would afford a dearly beloved parent or child. May kindness and joy spread to every person you come into contact with today, and everyday. And if you happen to forget what that feels like, find a video of the Dalai Lama and let him remind you!

“If selfishness has given place to kindness, we shall regard our neighbor unselfishly, and bless them that curse us; but we shall never meet this great duty simply by asking that it may be done.” 

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 9:11-14

“There is no end to all the peace and joy, and all the miracles that I will give, when I accept God’s Word. Why not today? Why should I wait, my Father, for the joy You promised me? For You will keep Your Word You gave Your Son in exile. I am sure my treasure waits for me, and I need but reach out my hand to find it. Even now my fingers touch it. It is very close. I need not wait an instant more to be at peace forever. It is You I choose, and my Identity along with You. Your Son would be Himself, and know You as his Father and Creator, and his Love.”

A Course in Miracles W-355.1:1-8

Peace and Certainty of Purpose

Photo by Aaron Springston

As the year draws to a close, our busy-ness tends to increase until we are, perhaps, in a tizzy all the time, much like the dreidel which is a staple of many celebrations. I witnessed a friend in such a dither today. As I watched her, I realized she was taking personal responsibility for everything around her. She felt put-upon and over-loaded with duties and chores. She breathlessly rushed about feeling that no one but her would know what to do about any number of things. I closed my eyes and breathed slowly and deeply, hoping it could spread to her, but she wasn’t receptive. She was no more able to accept the peace that was hers as the expression of Spirit than she was able to trust that everything would be done with or without her — or not! It’s easy to slip into the thought that we’re the only one who knows how to do certain things and everything will fall apart without us. I have found, time and again, that to stand with divine Love “in peace and certainty of purpose” allows great things to transpire! Trust and be at peace, dear Friends … 

“We stand together, Christ and I, in peace and certainty of purpose. And in Him is His Creator, as He is in me. My oneness with the Christ establishes me as Your Son, beyond the reach of time, and wholly free of every law but Yours. I have no self except the Christ in me. I have no purpose but His Own. And He is like His Father. Thus must I be one with You as well as Him. For who is Christ except Your Son as You created Him? And what am I except the Christ in me?”

A Course in Miracles  W-354.1:1-7

"Spirit, God, gathers unformed thoughts into their proper channels, and unfolds these thoughts, even as He opens the petals of a holy purpose in order that the purpose may appear.”

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 506:18-21

Joined in Purpose

At this time of the year, we are often reminded that not everyone includes themselves in this thing we call Christianity! In order to be politically correct, we go through all sorts of angst while expressing the joy of the season to others. The man we know as Jesus was here to show us the Truth of our Being. Everyone, everywhere, is the recipient of his revelation that we are all the children of God. In seeing, speaking, and moving with the realization that God is our Life, we can live with a pure image of ourselves. With this in mind, today I will speak from my heart when the occasion arises to express the joy of the season to others. What I say will be heartfelt, with no regard to what should or shouldn't be said. And I will do my best to see everyone as the Christ that they are, regardless of how it may seem to my limited human concepts. My prayer will be to realize my true conception is spiritual, and to act and speak accordingly, as led by Spirit. Merry Christmas and Namaste!!

"The illumination of Mary's spiritual sense put to silence material law and its order of generation, and brought forth her child by the revelation of Truth, demonstrating God as the Father of men. The Holy Ghost, or divine Spirit, overshadowed the pure sense of the Virgin-mother with the full recognition that being is Spirit. The Christ dwelt forever an idea in the bosom of God, the divine Principle of the man Jesus, and woman perceived this spiritual idea, 

though at first faintly developed."

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 29:20-29

“My eyes, my tongue, my hands, my feet today have but one purpose; to be given Christ to use to bless the world with miracles. Father, I give all that is mine today to Christ, to use in any way that best will serve the purpose that I share with Him. Nothing is mine alone, for He and I have joined in purpose. Thus has learning come almost to its appointed end. A while I work with Him to serve His purpose. Then I lose myself in my Identity, and recognize that Christ is but my Self.”

A Course in Miracles W-353.1:1-5

Step Back and Follow

Photo credit: Aaron Springston

“He said, 'In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love. In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile. In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm. I realized, through it all, that in the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there's something stronger -- something better, pushing right back." Albert Camus 

"If I am not feeling peaceful, it is important for me to remember that I have made a judgment on my own. If I am not peaceful, I have not listened to the Holy Spirit. The way I return to peace is to once again open my mind to the healing perceptions of my inner Comforter, the One Who straightens my mind. My one vocation now becomes that of stepping back and following the lead of my inner Teacher, the One Who can return me to my true Identity." 

A Course in Miracles - Workbook Lesson #352

“Science relates to Mind, not matter. It rests on fixed Principle and not upon the judgment of false sensation.”

Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 128:27-28