The miracle is an expression of an inner awareness of Christ and the acceptance of His Atonement (T-1.I.44:1).
In A Course in Miracles, Christ is the manifest symbol of the unconditionally loving aspect of God. Christ knows reality as God created it, and thus sees it truly. Christ does not hold personal judgment, and eschews all privilege in relation to others. Christ serves, eternally.
Christ practices forgiveness as the only means of undoing the perceived separation from God and Creation, from which error all conflict and thus all suffering arises. There is no loss or sacrifice anywhere in the system. To believe otherwise is the separation.
There is no loss; to think there is, is a mistake. You have no problems, thought you think you have (T-26.II.3:2-3).
On that view, the miracle is an understanding that arises as an effect of our inner awareness of Christ as our actual identity. It is a way of perceiving the world as Christ perceives it, and of serving the world as Christ serves it. Its fundament is oneness from which it does not – from which it cannot – deviate.
In A Course in Miracles, when we “work” a miracle, we are not shifting the physical or material world around us. We are not altering the perceived context of a relationship. We are simply consenting to have our perception of the world and our place it in it interpreted differently. We are saying “yes” to transformation through this re-interpretation. We no longer insist on the fear-driven biases of ego; we turn instead – gratefully, with open hearts and open minds – to the Holy Spirit and say, “teach me another way.”
The Holy Spirit shows us beauty and joy. He shows us peace and the potential for peace. He shows us a way in which we can activate that potential by loving what is beautiful and joyful, and allowing our living to be guided accordingly. We are entitled to miracles, and we are invited to share miracles with one another. Indeed, we are called to do this. Doing so makes us happy.
When we consent to be taught by the Holy Spirit, and when we devote ourselves to His teaching, then our awareness of Christ-as-reality, as our reality, is enhanced. It ceases to be an idea and becomes instead an actual way of living in the world. We naturally become miracle-minded; we naturally extend the light that miracles bring. We are not alone but more than that, we understand we can not be alone.
To think with Christ inevitably yields behavioral changes. We forgive someone who cuts in front of us; we say we’re sorry when we cut in front of them. We notice a lack of empathy in us and pray that it be remedied. We realize we are hurting ourselves in this or that relationship, and takes steps to remove ourselves in order to minimize suffering.
If we do those things first and then wait expectantly for the result of inner peace, then we will be disappointed. But if we make contact with Love and the Potential for Love within us – if we recognize Christ, and seek only to bring forth Christ – then what occurs in the world will gently and quietly remind us we have chosen correctly. We have remembered Christ and accepted the atonement – the corrected perception – that Christ offers us.
Perfect for me right now. It was as if it was meant for me, as if it was a gift from the Holy Spirit to me. Your clarity and additional explanations are beautiful and so simply put, like little treasures that touch the heart and soul. I always love it when l am able to feel the course content from another perspective in such lovely and pure ways.
Directly before reading this l was reading Nevil Goddard’s perspective on The Book of Revelation:
“Now there are seven letters. Seven in Hebraic tongue is spiritual perfection. Here in the letters, He praises them for what they have done. But, there’s something lacking and the one thing that’s lacking is repentance. [ ] To repent means a radical change of mind toward what you see in the world. [ ] Repent means a radical change of attitude to life. It has nothing to do with remorse or regret. [ ] We’re opposed only by ourselves. We have to overcome our beliefs in this world. No matter what we believe in – that l am unwanted in the world. We’ve got to overcome it. [ ] l must overcome that belief in myself – that l am unwanted.”
Then he links this idea of overcoming our thoughts and beliefs to the details in The Book of Revelation. It’s incredibly interesting. Jesus through the course always wants us to remember that we always have the free will to change our mind about our thoughts and to be open minded. Then your wonderful writing encourages us to pause and reflect on the ways in which The Holy Spirit can help us to see life, the world and our thoughts, not in the way the world teaches us, not the way in which the illusion reinforces, but to see reality, to glimpse at reality and to allow the Atonement to unwind the errors in our thought system.
Thank you Sean for sharing the gift of your writing with us. I was hooked into your message as soon as l read your analogy about the drop of water, because it immediately reminded me of a message Jesus shared about the symbol of rain which is the second most phenomenal thing l have ever encountered in its pureness and poetic beauty.
Yours is the gift that keeps on giving – spread the love today, this moment and in our continuous opportunities that the Holy Spirit lavishes on us. Peace be with you and bless us all.
Jayney
Thank you for your thoughtful comment, Jayney. I appreciate your share & insights. I am not familiar with Nevil Goddard, and the Book of Revelation has never been my favorite book of the New Testament, but I appreciate how your explication. Mostly I am just grateful to be able to give and receive – little lights, little drops of susteance – as we find our way home. Thank you for being here and sharing the way.
Love,
Sean