A Course In Miracles - Chapter 16, Section II
ACIM is read one section at a time. It is a guidebook leading us back to our true natures, as we open to the awareness of love's presence. All quoted material is from A Course in Miracles, copyright ©1992, 1999, 2007 by the Foundation for Inner Peace, publisher, and the copyright holder. This material is used with permission. Glossary-Index for a Course in Miracles, 8th edition, Kenneth Wapnick, Ph.D. Music: Bensound
Transcript
Hi,
I'm Teresa Hubbard.
Welcome back to our continued reading of the text to A Course in Miracles.
We continue today in Chapter 16,
The Forgiveness of Illusions,
Section 2,
The Power of Holiness.
To summarize my takeaways,
In Section 2 of Chapter 16,
We are encouraged by being told that this is the year for the application of the ideas that we have been given in this course,
For the ideas are mighty forces to be used and not held idly by.
Although we may still think that holiness is impossible to understand,
Because we cannot see how it can be extended to include everyone,
And we've been told that it must include everyone to be holy,
But the good news is that we must not concern ourselves with the extension of holiness,
Because we do not understand the nature of miracles,
Nor do we do them.
It is the extension of miracles,
Far beyond the limits we perceive,
That demonstrates we do not do them.
We are asked to honor the truth that has been given us and be glad we do not understand it,
For miracles are natural to the one who speaks for God,
For his task is to translate the miracle into the knowledge which it represents and which is hidden to us.
This is a year of joy in which our listening will increase and peace will grow with its increase.
The power of holiness and the weakness of attack are both being brought into our awareness and this is being accomplished in a mind firmly convinced that holiness is weakness and attack is power.
Should not this be a sufficient miracle to teach us that our teacher is not of ourselves?
This year we are invited to awaken by investing in truth and letting it work in peace.
We must have faith in him who has faith in us.
I invite you to keep a few things in mind as you listen to the reading.
The course uses male pronouns,
Yet this is simply a way of pointing to the spiritual being,
Having no gender.
The course is written in first person,
And although not introduced directly to the reader,
It becomes clear that the words are from Jesus,
Often quoting from the Bible.
The course uses traditional Christian terms in a non-traditional manner.
These words are simply pointers to truth,
Nothing more.
A few terms you will hear within this reading.
The two teachers are the ego and the Holy Spirit.
The ego is our belief in the separated or false self that we made as a substitute for the self that God created.
The Holy Spirit is the communication link between God and us,
Bridging the gap between the mind of Christ and our human minds,
The voice for God,
God,
The creator,
The source of all being or life.
God's essence is spirit,
Which is shared with all creation.
Yet the word God can be limiting since universal energy and life are infinitely vast and cannot be contained in a word.
Miracle,
The change in mind that shifts our perception,
Transcending the laws of this world to reflect the laws of God.
The miracle provides the means to heal our own minds and the minds of others.
And now,
On to the reading.
A Course in Miracles,
Chapter 16,
The Forgiveness of Illusions Section 2.
The Power of Holiness You may still think that holiness is impossible to understand,
Because you cannot see how it can be extended to include everyone,
And you have been told that it must include everyone to be holy.
Concern yourself not with the extension of holiness,
For the nature of miracles you do not understand,
Nor do you do them.
It is their extension,
Far beyond the limits you perceive,
That demonstrates you do not do them.
Why should you worry how the miracle extends to all the sonship,
When you do not understand the miracle itself?
One attribute is no more difficult to understand than is the whole.
If miracles are at all,
Their attributes would have to be miraculous,
Being part of them.
There is a tendency to fragment,
And then to be concerned about the truth of just a little part of the whole.
And this is but a way of avoiding,
Or looking away from the whole,
To what you think you might better be able to understand.
For this is but another way in which you would still try to keep understanding to yourself.
A better and far more helpful way to think of miracles is this.
You do not understand them,
Either in part or in whole,
Yet they have been done through you.
Therefore,
Your understanding cannot be necessary,
Yet it is still impossible to accomplish what you do not understand.
And so,
There must be something in you that does understand.
To you,
The miracle cannot seem natural,
Because what you have done to hurt your mind has made it so unnatural that it does not remember what is natural to it.
And when you are told what is natural,
You cannot understand it.
The recognition of the part as whole,
And of the whole in every part,
Is perfectly natural,
For it is the way God thinks,
And what is natural to Him is natural to you.
Wholly natural perception would show you instantly that order of difficulty in miracles is quite impossible,
For it involves a contradiction of what miracles mean.
And if you could understand their meaning,
Their attributes could hardly cause you perplexity.
You have done miracles,
But it is quite apparent that you have not done them alone.
You have succeeded whenever you have reached another mind and joined with it.
When two minds join as one,
And share one idea equally,
The first link in the awareness of the Sonship as one has been made.
When you have made this joining as the Holy Spirit bids you,
And have offered it to Him to use as He sees fit,
His natural perception of your gift enables Him to understand it,
And you to use His understanding on your behalf.
It is impossible to convince you of the reality of what has clearly been accomplished through your willingness while you believe that you must understand it,
Or else it is not real.
How can faith in reality be yours while you are bent on making it unreal?
And are you really safer in maintaining the reality of illusions than you would be in joyously accepting truth for what it is,
And giving thanks for it?
Honor the truth that has been given you,
And be glad you do not understand it.
Miracles are natural to the one who speaks for God,
For His task is to translate the miracle into the knowledge which it represents,
And which is hidden to you.
Let His understanding of the miracle be enough for you,
And do not turn away from all the witnesses that He has given you to His reality.
No evidence will convince you of the truth of what you do not want,
Yet your relationship with Him is real.
Regard this not with fear,
But with rejoicing.
The One you call upon is with you.
Bid Him welcome,
And honor the witnesses who bring you the glad tidings He has come.
It is true,
Just as you fear,
That to acknowledge Him is to deny all that you think you know,
But what you think you know is never true.
What gain is there to you in clinging to it,
And denying the evidence for truth?
For you have come too near to truth to redounce it now,
And you will yield to its compelling attraction.
You can delay this now,
But only a little while.
The host of God has called to you,
And you have heard.
Never again will you be wholly willing not to listen.
This is a year of joy in which your listening will increase,
And peace will grow with its increase.
The power of holiness and the weakness of attack are both being brought into your awareness,
And this has been accomplished in a mind firmly convinced that holiness is weakness,
And attack is power.
Should not this be a sufficient miracle to teach you that your teacher is not of you?
But remember also that whenever you listen to his interpretation,
The results have brought you joy.
Would you prefer the results of your interpretation,
Considering honestly what they have been?
God wills you better.
Could you not look with greater charity on whom God loves with perfect love?
Do not interpret against God's love,
For you have many witnesses that speak of it so clearly that only the blind and deaf could fail to see and hear them.
This year,
Determine not to deny what has been given you by God.
Awake and share it,
For that is the only reason he has called to you.
His voice has spoken clearly,
And yet you have so little faith in what you heard,
Because you have preferred to place still greater faith in the disaster you have made.
Today,
Let us resolve together to accept the joyful tidings that disaster is not real,
And that reality is not disaster.
Reality is safe and sure,
And holy kind to everyone and everything.
There is no greater love than to accept this and be glad.
For love asks only that you be happy,
And will give you everything that makes for happiness.
You have never given any problem to the Holy Spirit he has not solved for you,
Nor will you ever do so.
You have never tried to solve anything yourself and been successful.
Is it not time you brought these facts together and made sense of them?
This is the year for the application of the ideas that have been given you,
For the ideas are mighty forces to be used and not held idly by.
They have already proved their power sufficiently for you to place your faith in them and not in their denial.
This year,
Invest in truth and let it work in peace.
Have faith in Him who has faith in you.
Think what you have really seen and heard,
And recognize it.
Can you be alone with witnesses like these?
