II. SECTION 10. What is the Last Judgment?
Lesson 316 All gifts I give my brothers are my own.
- As every gift my brothers give is mine, so every gift I give belongs to me. Each one allows a past mistake to go and leave no shadow on the holy mind my Father loves. His grace is given me in every gift a brother has received throughout all time, and past all times as well. My treasure house is full, and angels watch its open doors that not one gift is lost, and only more are added. Let me come to where my treasures are and enter in where I am truly welcome and at home, among the gifts that God has given me.
- Father, I would accept Your gifts today. I do not recognize them. Yet I trust that You Who gave them will provide the means by which I can behold them, see their worth, and cherish only them as what I want. [1]
In yesterday’s lesson, we learned that we are blessed abundantly every single moment of each passing day by the gifts of our brothers. Today, Jesus teaches us that just as we are blessed the gifts of others, so too, are others blessed by the gifts we bring. Salvation is not a one-man show! When we come to God, we are made aware of our oneness; we can only know our salvation when we share equally and freely with one another. We are made aware of the responsibility we bear to not only acknowledge and show appreciation for the gifts that others bring, but to acknowledge and show appreciation for the gifts that we bring. This keeps us from the ego’s tendency to make an idol of one another, to put the responsibility for our salvation (or lack thereof) onto our preachers, priests, gurus, and teachers, to judge and make comparisons, to compete, or to flatter someone’s ego in the name of God. We do not fall into the trap of false humility and say we have nothing to give, we have no talents and no gifts, let others shine! All of our gifts belong to all of us with mutuality, with getting to give and giving to get a beautiful field of naturally occurring miracles.
One of the most compelling features of A Course in Miracles is that it is not a new religion nor does Jesus teach us to separate from the world into an elect group whose enlightened understanding of God will save us while the rest of the world perishes. Instead Jesus teaches us through a Course presented in such a way as to be impossible to learn by oneself. We must pray for understanding. We must seek others to help us understand. Nobody has the perfect understanding on their own. Whether a beautiful illustration, a spiritual insight, an actionable way of application or illumination, we all have certain gifts to bring to our learning and teaching of the curriculum. If we do not acknowledge our gifts, if we are too afraid of making a mistake, uncertain of our own understanding, prone to hiding behind a facade of humility, or worse yet, let our past obscure our gifts, we will remain in a state of confusion and uncertainty. We will be outside the realm of giving to get and getting to give. In this realm, we will flounder, wondering why we are not experiencing the sense of liberation and awakening that others, who are sharing, claim. In this state, we will not enjoy holy relationships for holy relationships thrive only on recognizing our ultimate holiness, our true Identity, our gifts that we bring to the table of Love.
In the realm of the miraculous, our treasure house is always full because every single one of us are giving to get and getting to give. This loving mutuality is guarded by angels which protect every gift from ever being lost. In our holy habit of devotion, where we come before our Father with altars which have been swept clear of the ego and all of its lies and illusions, we can feel the presence of those angels, watching over our treasures, urging us to share and share again and not be afraid. If we make a mistake, there is a beautiful opportunity for holy correction. Each time we use our gifts of forgiveness and correction, those gifts in turn are given us, leaving no trace of the mistake, but only the loving correction.
Last year when I first started blogging the workbook lessons, I was plagued with self-doubt and worries about what others would think. I have not necessarily led a holy life; my journey has taken me down paths that I am not exactly proud to hang up for display! Many of my relationships look like train wrecks. I say things that later, I regret. I put my nose where it does not belong, I shake my finger at others when I should be shaking it at myself, and I make judgments that are unfair and unkind. There are times the old potty mouth still has its say. Not unlike many of my relationships, based on limited resources, jealousy, and uncertainty, my walk with God has been fraught with an on and off again switch. In my own estimation, it is taking me an inordinate amount of time to recognize my real and holy Self that Jesus discusses in the Course.
And yet, I accept the Father’s gifts today because I trust Him Who gave them to me. I trust the Lord will take my gifts and use them. While fears and doubts about my gifts would keep me outside the realm of love; the gifts I share serve as a means to enter in. If I write something that is shocking or offensive, if I attack rather than love, if I make a mistake in interpretation or fail to illuminate a lesson properly, I trust in you to forgive me and for God to correct me!
When we have learned this incredible lesson, when we have applied the concept in our efforts to awaken ourselves and others – I cherish your gifts as mine; you cherish my gifts as yours – now and always – this is our Last Judgment. We are brought into holy mutuality, an elevated recognition of our oneness with God and with each other; our Sonship with Father God and Brotherhood with Christ, His Son. Our minds awaken in the dream. We are no longer enchanted by the illusion of separateness from God and with each other. Our minds and hearts can now perceive the Real World and we are made ready to see God and be welcomed back into our eternal Kingdom.
Today, ask the Lord to reveal this truth to you. Pray for the Last Judgment for there is nothing to fear. Recognize your role in the return of Christ and the Last Judgment and commit yourself to the awakening. Join with me and with all your holy brothers who wash away our mistakes by placing our trust in the tender kindness and everlasting mercy of our loving Father who awaits our return!
[1] A Course In Miracles. Workbook for Students. Lesson 316. Foundation for Inner Peace, Second Edition (1992). p. 458.
Audio credit: the friar patch @ www.eckiefriar.com
the friar patch 