A Course in Miracles has several places where God speak to us directly in the first person. What does He say? In this Sunday Gathering Sermon, Emily Perry walks you through some of the passages in the Course where God speaks to us. Emily then highlights the major themes from those passages, summarizing it all into a clear picture of what God is trying to communicate to us through this path.
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This is Exploring a Course in Miracles, a program for students and teachers of the complete and annotated edition of A Course in Miracles, from The Circle of Atonement, a non-profit sharing the spiritual path of the course since 1993. Exploring a Course in Miracles is hosted by Robert Perry and Emily Bennington and can be found online at circleofa.org. Occasionally, here on Exploring a Course in Miracles, we would like to share with you the messages from our Sunday Gathering Services. We hope you enjoy this message and if you would like to join us for a future Sunday gathering, please note that they are free and open to all and you can register by joining our online community at community.circleofa.org. Earlier this month, I was scrolling through social media and I think because we were coming upon the anniversary of September 11th, I came across one of those recordings of a voicemail of someone on one of the hijacked planes and in this case, it was from a husband to his wife. And I listened to it and because I had done that, I started to get more of these kinds of voicemails popping up on my social media feeds until eventually, I had the thought of if I only had a few seconds to deliver a message to someone close to me, and I knew that those were going to be the last words that I ever spoke to them, what would I say? What would you say? It seems like this big thought-provoking question, but it's actually a very simple one to answer. We're all going to say some version of I Love You, and that's exactly what we saw in the real-life examples from 9/11. Person after person who was able to make a call said the same thing to the people that they were trying to reach. And so I've had this idea in my mind that when it comes down to the very essence of the most important things that we have to say to each other, what we say when we can only say that essential thing, that's what we say. I Love You. Nobody is leaving final voicemails that say some version of, "Remember when you lied to me, remember when I trusted you and you did that thing?" That hurt bad, and I hope you suffer for it. No one's saying that. Now as some of you know, Robert and I have been hosting a special series that we've called The Forgotten Material in Course Companions, and as part of this series, we went through the gifts of God, which is Helen Shockman's last authentic scribing. And every time I read gifts of God, I'm always struck by those last two lines. So all of the text, all of the workbook, all of the manual, the clarification of terms, the supplement, it's all led us to these final words in the entire course canon, which are forget all things except my changeless love, forget all things except that I am here. Now when you hear forget all things except that I am here, as Robert mentioned in the intro, you might think that this is Jesus talking about himself, but that's not what's going on, it's not Jesus speaking, it's God speaking. It's God speaking directly to us in the first person. And he doesn't do that very often in the course, and so when he does, presumably he's taking care to say the most essential thing. So what does he say? He says, forget all things except my changeless love, forget all things except that I am here, which is another way of saying, I love you. Now if we fallible, imperfect, ego driven humans understand that when we have the chance to say the most essential thing, we don't blame, condemn or judge, but we speak of love, and surely God infallible, perfect and egoless being that he is, would get that too. Workbook lesson 49 is God's voice speaks to us all through the day. Now for those of us who don't have of course, scribe Helen Schochman's gift of hearing, it's easy to brush that promise aside and to think some version of well what difference does it make if God is talking to me if I don't really hear what it is that he's saying. And if we're really being honest, we may not actually like this idea. So often people come to a spiritual path like the course to get away from a picture of God that's looming and angry. And so for many to hear something like God is speaking to you all through the day feels a bit like hearing that your abusive father is going to pick you up from the airport. It's not exactly a welcome message, but think about this for a moment, regardless of how you feel about it, there is still nothing bigger than God, creator of all that is, speaking to you directly, it literally does not get bigger than that. And to our point from earlier, wouldn't you just expect him to say the most important thing that needs to be said forever and for all time. And so just setting aside what we think he might say and setting aside what we're afraid he might say, I want to talk about what he actually says in the course. And so my plan for today is to read you some of the passages in the course where God speaks. I want to highlight the major themes from those passages. And then I want to summarize it all into a clear picture of what God is trying to communicate to us through this book. So let's begin with the passages where God is talking to us. It's remarkable that there are places in the course where portrays God as communicating directly to us. Although in general, we haven't really paid much attention to them as course students. I don't have time to read you all of the passages today, but there are a few that I want to highlight that will give you a good sense of the whole. And the first one is from Workbook Lesson 276, the word of God is given me to speak. What is the word of God? Well, he knew that you were going to ask that question. So we can see here it says, what is the word of God? Here it is. My son is pure and holy as myself. These are the words. The course says, spoke you into existence. And that's the heart of the message he wants to give the world through you. And as you can see, it's not some big declaration of him. It's not some big declaration about how great and powerful he is. It's a declaration of who we are. It's about us. And he repeats this idea throughout the course. Another example is in the, what is the last judgment section of the workbook. In that part at the very end, God speaks to us again. And you'll see that what he says is not only very similar, but it's particularly moving because whether you grew up in traditional church or not, whenever we hear the last judgment, our spine tends to stiffen a little bit because historically that has been associated with God giving his final verdict on whether our soul is saved and going to heaven or whether we are damned and sent to hell for eternity. It is unspeakable, unconscionable, the amount of destruction that this idea, this one idea that some people are good and some people are bad has brought to our world. It has been an absolute wrecking ball to the human psyche and brought us an endless amount of guilt and attack. And that is the traditional view of the final judgment. God is coming and the sheep are going to be separated from the goats. But here's what the course has to say about it. It says, this is God's final judgment. You are still my Holy Son, forever innocent, forever loving and forever loved, as limitless as your Creator and completely changeless and forever pure, therefore awaken and return to me. I am your Father and you are my Son. And the reason why these are highlighted in different colors is because here we can see certain repeating themes when it comes to what God says when he speaks to us in the course. So, he will typically say a version of you are still my Son, which you see in blue. He often reminds us that in our true nature, as he created us, we are perfect, sinless, pure and holy, which is parts you see highlighted in yellow. And remember our passage from lesson 276, what is the word of God? My Son is pure and holy as myself. That's this theme of innocence. He returns to the theme of love and belovedness, which you see in pink. He often tells us that what he has we have, which you see in red. And he is very often asking us to come home to him, which you see in purple. Time and time again, where God speaks to us in the course, he is offering some declaration of our true identity. And he repeats this again in the introduction to the final lessons of the workbook. It's similar to the last judgment, actually, where we stand before God and we're terribly afraid of how he's going to judge us. And in that section of the workbook, here's what he says. You can see here it pictures us coming before him, pleading with him, saying we didn't understand and we're asking him to teach us. We think he's going to judge us our fear is that he is going to condemn us. But instead he rushes in to answer and he says, this is my son and all I have is his. So remember those themes from before. He regularly returns again and again to this idea that we are still his son, which you see in blue. And he often comes back to this idea that what he has we have, which you see there in red. Think about all of the pain and suffering and othering that we could have avoided if we had just gotten this message 2,000 years ago, God does not divide. God does not condemn everyone is his son. Everyone is beloved without exception. Now I've mentioned this before, but I have a tiny fascination with what are called doom paintings and churches. And one of the most famous ones is in Solsbury, England, near where Robert and I live. And doom paintings get their name because they depict the last judgment and the most famous of all the doom paintings in the world is in the Sistine Chapel. And what's interesting to me about the doom paintings is that they're very often placed at the center of the altar or they're placed at the exit. So that when you arrive or when you leave, you're confronted with this choice of heaven or hell. What's it going to be? Where am I going to go? And it's meant to clearly send that message of God is watching you. And some people are in the club and some people are not. And again, what a different world we would have if the courses message or what appears on our chapel walls, if the courses message were what we see on our ceilings, on our stained glass windows and our entrances and in our exits of our churches, you are still God's holy son forever innocent, forever loving and forever loved as limitless as your creator and completely changeless and forever pure. Remarkable idea. So the next to last passage that I want to share with you is not only one of the most powerful ideas in the course, but it's the basis on which so much of the whole thought system of the course rests. This is in a section in chapter 28 in the text. And it says here in his meaning, our creation did his father say, again, these are the words of God, you are beloved of me and I of you forever, be you perfect as myself, for you can never be apart from me. And here we see those repeating themes again of belovedness and pink, sharing his attributes and read and still being his son in blue. And the next sentence is particularly, it's not highlighted, but it's particularly breathtaking because it says, his son remembers not that he replied, I will, though in that promise he was born. So we were born out of making a promise, a vow really, to be beloved of God, perfect as he is, and never apart from him. And in that moment, our existence began. It's really interesting to note that at the beginning of our creation and in what we think of as the end of our creation, meaning the last judgment, God's message is exactly the same. In both places, he says the same thing, that most essential thing that we say, I love you. So the last passages that I want to read to you are at the very end of the song of prayer supplement and at the very end of the gifts of God supplement. And it's interesting to note that these are the final two scribing that Helen received. And in both of them, God speaking directly to us is the big finale. And it's also worth noting that at the end of both the song of prayer and the gifts of God, God is pleading to us in the most beautiful and poetic language to come home to him. Together these passages where God speaks in the song of prayer and in the gifts of God are just over 800 words, so I won't read them all to you, but I do want to read you some of both, beginning with the last few paragraphs of the song of prayer. And as I do, I'd like you to listen for the themes that we've already discussed. Listen for God saying, you are beloved. You are perfect, sinless, pure and holy as he created you. You are still his son, what he has, you have. And in these final passages, I also want you to listen for another theme, which we haven't talked about yet, but it's here, and it's that he's incomplete without you. So this is going to take a few minutes, and I think you should treat it like an exercise, even though Robert will be doing an exercise here in just a minute. So I invite you to close your eyes, to take a deep breath, to clear your mind of all distracting thoughts, and imagine that God himself, the creator of all things, is saying these words directly to you. Come unto me, my children, once again, without such twisted thoughts upon your hearts. You still are holy with the holiness which fathered you in perfect sinlessness, and still surrounds you with the arms of peace. Dream now of healing, then arise and lay all dreaming down forever. You are he your father loves, who never left his home, nor wandered in a savage world with feet that bleed, and with a heavy heart made heart against the love that is the truth in you. Let me instead remind you of eternity, in which your joy grows greater as your love extends along with mine, beyond infinity, where time and distance have no meaning. While you wait in sorrow, Heaven's melody is incomplete, because your song is part of the eternal harmony of love. Without you is creation unfulfilled. Return to me who never left my son. Listen, my child, your father calls to you. Do not refuse to hear the call for love, do not deny to Christ what is his own. Heaven is here, and Heaven is your home. How lovely are you, child of holiness, how like to me, how lovingly I hold you in my heart and in my arms. All dear is every gift to me that you have made, who healed my son and took him from the cross, arise and let my thanks be given you. And with my gratitude will come the gift first of forgiveness, then eternal peace. To now return your holy voice to me, the song of prayer is silent without you. The universe is waiting your release because it is its own. Be kind to it and to yourself, and then be kind to me. I ask but this, that you be comforted and live no more in terror and in pain. Do not abandon love, remember this, what you may think about yourself, whatever you may think about the world, your father needs you and will call to you until you come to him in peace at last. Now, keeping your eyes closed, I want to conclude with the final paragraphs of the gifts of God's supplement. This one's a little shorter, and as I read it again, keep listening for the themes of God's love, and keep imagining that he is speaking these words directly to you. This is the very end of gifts of God. You are my son, and I do not forget the secret place in which I still abide, knowing you will remember. My son, open your heart and let me shine on you and on the world through you. You are my light and dwelling place, you speak for me to those who have forgotten. All them to me, my son, remember now for all the world. I call in love as you will answer me for this the only language that we know. Remember love, so near you cannot fail to touch its heart because it beats in you. Do not forget, do not forget my child. Open the door before the hidden place and let me blaze upon a world made glad and sudden ecstasy. I come, I come, behold me, I am here for I am you. In Christ, for Christ, my own beloved son, the glory of the infinite, the joy of heaven, and the holy peace of earth, returned to Christ and from his hand to me. Say now, amen, my son, for it is done, the secret place is open now at last. Forget all things, accept my change of love, forget all things, accept that I am here. When you're ready, you can open your eyes to the room. As I mentioned in the introduction, the very end of gifts of God, those words I just read to you, contain the end of the course canon. And it feels fitting that this would be his final words because forget all things, accept that I am here encapsulates the big idea of what happens when you put all of these passages together. God created us as his son, we tried to leave, but we didn't, he wants us to come on. You heard it in these passages, he's constantly trying to call us back, come unto me once again. I would recall my weary son to me, return to me who never left, return your holy voice to me, and the fact that we never really left means that instead of trying to make ourselves worthy to come home to him, we just need to accept the fact that we never really left in the first place. No matter what is happening in your life, no matter what problems present themselves each day, that's the only thing that's going on here. If you win a million dollars tomorrow, if you fall in love, if you get divorced, if your child is sick, if you're sick, if you're overwhelmed with work, if your best friend dumps you, or even if you are in the middle of the happiest, most glorious phase in your life, that is still the only thing going on here. The Course says the Father calls the Son will hear, and that is all there is to what appears to be a world apart from God where bodies have reality. I want to read that to you again. The Father calls the Son will hear, and that is all there is to what appears to be a world apart from God where bodies have reality. Isn't that great? This is what our lives can be about. This can be the basis for so much peace and a real simplification of each day. Whatever it is that you think about yourself, whatever it is that you think is happening in the world, all that's really going on here is that God created you, He needs you, and He will call to you until you come home at last. That's the big fact of our existence, and everything else is details. It's really interesting to me that so often when people have some sort of big profound spiritual experience, they typically say the same thing. They'll say some version of what's over there feels like the real thing, and this place feels like the illusion. It's amazing and incredible to have spiritual experience, but we don't need that to hold this view of what really matters in the big picture. When we can do that, then our lives become something much bigger than just going through the motions of normal human priorities. We can forget that big picture for years, for decades, for lifetimes while we just muck around in all the details, but regardless of how much we feel like we've blown it, the good news is that God is still there, still giving us that exact same essential message. Again, just going back to this idea of when it comes down to the most essential thing, what He has to say is, "You are my son, I love you, come home to where you already are." When we really understand that, it can give new meaning to all of our actions. It can ensure that our actions actually add up to spiritual progress, and it's that progress that will get us home faster. So, again, it doesn't matter how much we feel like we've blown it, or how many lifetimes it takes. Remember, at the end of the day, no matter what, when God said, "When God said, 'When you are beloved, be you as perfect as myself, deep inside of all of us, without exception, we have all already responded with the answer of, 'I will,' and so we are." Thank you. Thank you for listening to Exploring a Course in Miracles from The Circle of Atonement. To learn more about the complete and annotated edition of A Course in Miracles, and our course-based training programs, please visit circleofa.org. [music] [MUSIC PLAYING]
