Commentary on ACIM Lesson 99

©2010 Rev. David Seacord

 

Salvation is my only function here.

 

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Of course, the key word is 'only'.  And 'here' means 'in this phenomenal (illusionary) world..... the world of the unreal (or said another way: the changing, the impermanent).  The stunningly clarity of today's lesson makes it plain that EVERYTHING in this world that tells me I am 'alone' or 'a separate being' is a false projection of my mind, and will, if 'touched as real', inevitably lead to disappointment.  The whole purpose of this Course is to teach us (me) 'the way' of 'escaping' this disappointment (which is another word for 'unhappiness').  And the key to that is to see EVERYTHING 'differently'.  How?  I 'normally' see and feel and believe as real 'the experience of duality'.  Everything is comparative, either better or worse, richer or poorer, good or bad, all that.  The 'different seeing' (I affirm) I am learning is simply 'to see and be at-one-with' (or, 'have no resistance to') WHATEVER IS, OR IS NOT.   To live 'in this realization' is to 'know LOVE',  and the converse:  to live 'without this realization' is to 'know illusion'.  

 

The early lessons of this Course were practices in applying their ideas 'to everything', because 'one exception to truth makes it all a lie'.  This is why the Bible uses the phrase 'the straight and narrow' in reference to 'the path'.  It is not meant as (it has been interpreted and has often become) a judgement against the world, but as a call to see the world completely 'holistically'.  The Zen teaching 'to move among and intermingle, without distinction' captures (for me) the sense of freedom of 'non-resistance to life' I am experiencing as the spiritual 'bulls-eye' of enlightenment.  This means to 'find within' the freedom to accept the unthinkable.  Or do the unimaginable.  Or attempt the impossible.  Not as 'license', but as 'integrity'. 

 

Extrication from illusion is learnable.  That is why I write these Commentaries ---to encourage myself first, and then the reader, to DO the practice that facilitates 'the learning'.  Where to do this practicing?  Obviously, wherever I am and with whomever I am.  If there was 'a time out' possible from true spiritual practice, it would make it spiritually untrue.  But, if I find myself 'wishing for a break', I am already missing the mark, by 'efforting' the practice.  When my practice 'carries me, like a river to the sea', I am on target.  The river, you see, does not 'practice' going to the sea, it simply follows its true nature.  

 

Our 'true nature' is Love.  So is God's.  All we need do is remember this ALL 'the time'.  If that seems 'too much', just do it NOW (all the time).  That will be 'enough'.  

 

Namaste, 

 

David

 

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'First Person' (edited) Version

Lesson 99

Salvation is my only function here.

Salvation and forgiveness are the same. They both imply that something has gone wrong; something to be saved from, forgiven for; something amiss that needs corrective change; something apart or different from the Will of God. Thus do both terms imply a thing impossible but yet which has occurred, resulting in a state of conflict seen between what is and what could never be.

Truth and illusions both are equal now, for both have happened. The impossible becomes the thing I need forgiveness for, salvation from. Salvation now becomes the borderland between the truth and the illusion. It reflects the truth because it is the means by which I can escape illusions. Yet it is not yet the truth because it undoes what was never done.

How could there be a meeting place at all where earth and Heaven can be reconciled within a mind where both of them exist? The mind that sees illusions thinks them real. They have existence in that they are thoughts. And yet they are not real, because the mind that thinks these thoughts is separate from God.

What joins the 'separated mind and thoughts' with 'Mind and Thought' which are forever One? What plan could hold the truth inviolate, yet recognize the need illusions bring, and offer means by which they are undone without attack and with no touch of pain? What but a Thought of God could be this plan, by which the never done is overlooked, and sins forgotten which were never real?

The Holy Spirit holds this plan of God exactly as it was received of Him within the Mind of God and in my own. It is apart from time in that its Source is timeless. Yet it operates in time, because of my belief that time is real. Unshaken does the Holy Spirit look on what I see; on sin and pain and death, on grief and separation and on loss. Yet does He know one thing must still be true; God is still Love, and this ('not-love') is not His Will.

This is THE Thought that brings illusions to the truth, and sees them as appearances behind which is the changeless and the sure. This is the Thought that saves and that forgives, because it lays no faith in what is not created by the only Source it knows. This is the Thought whose function is to save by giving me its function as my own. Salvation is my function, with the One to Whom the plan was given. Now am I entrusted with this plan, along with Him. He has one answer to appearances; regardless of their form, their size, their depth or any attribute they seem to have:

Salvation is my only function here. 
God still is Love, and this ('not-love') is not His Will.

As I will yet work miracles, I choose to be sure I practice well the idea for today. I will perceive the strength in what I say, for these are the words in which my freedom lies. My Father loves me. All the world of pain is not His Will. I Forgive myself the thought He wanted this for me. Now let the Thought with which He has replaced all my mistakes enter the darkened places of my mind that thought the thoughts that never were His Will.

This part (of my mind) belongs to God, as does the rest. It does not think its solitary thoughts, and make them real by hiding them from Him. I will let in the light, and I will look upon no obstacle to what He wills for me. I will openmy secrets to His kindly light, and see how bright this light IS that stillshines in me.

I will practice His Thought today, and let His light seek out and lighten up all darkened spots, and shine through them to join them to the rest. It is God's Will my mind be one with His. It is God's Will that He has but one Son. It is God's Will that His one Son is me. I will think of these things in practicing today, and start the lesson that I learn today with this instruction in the way of truth:

Salvation is my only function here.
Salvation and forgiveness are the same.

Then I will turn to Him Who shares my function here, and let Him teach mewhat I need to learn to lay all fear aside, and know my Self as Love which has no opposite in me.

I will forgive all thoughts which would oppose the truth of my completion, unity and peace. I cannot lose the gifts my Father gave. I do not want to be another self. I have no function that is not of God. I will forgive myself the one (function) I think I made. Forgiveness and salvation are the same. I willforgive what I have made and thus know I am saved.

There is a special message for today which has the power to remove all forms of doubt and fear forever from my mind. If I am tempted to believe them true, I will remember that appearances can not withstand the truth these mighty words contain:

Salvation is my only function here.
God still is Love, and this ('not-love') is not His Will.

My only function tells me I am one. I will remind myself of this between the times I give five minutes to be shared with Him Who shares God's plan withme. Remind yourself:

Salvation is my only function here.

Thus do I lay forgiveness on my mind and let all fear be gently laid aside, that love may find its rightful place in me and show me that I am the Son of God.

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