Hi,
I'm Teresa Hubbard.
Welcome back to our continued reading of the text to A Course in Miracles.
We begin today in Chapter 5,
Healing and Wholeness.
Chapter 5 begins with an introduction,
Where we learn that to heal is to make happy,
And that the light that belongs to us is the light of joy.
Joy calls forth an integrated willingness to share it.
We learn that there is no difference between joy and love,
And that it's impossible for a child of God to love his neighbor except as himself.
The healer's prayer that we are given is,
Let me know this brother,
As I know myself.
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.
And now,
On to the reading.
A Course in Miracles Chapter 5 Healing and Wholeness Introduction.
To heal is to make happy.
I have told you to think how many opportunities you have had to gladden yourself,
And how many you have refused.
This is the same as telling you that you have refused to heal yourself.
The light that belongs to you is the light of joy.
This is not associated with sorrow.
Joy calls forth an integrated willingness to share it,
And promotes the mind's natural impulse to respond as one.
Those who attempt to heal without being wholly joyous themselves call forth different kinds of responses at the same time,
And thus deprive others of the joy of responding wholeheartedly.
To be wholehearted,
You must be happy.
If fear and love cannot coexist,
And if it is impossible to be wholly fearful and remain alive,
The only possible whole state is that of love.
There is no difference between love and joy.
Therefore,
The only possible whole state is the wholly joyous.
To heal or to make joyous is therefore the same as to integrate and to make one.
That is why it makes no difference to what part,
Or by what part,
Of the sonship the healing is offered.
Every part benefits,
And benefits equally.
You are being blessed by every beneficent thought of any of your brothers anywhere.
You should want to bless them in return out of gratitude.
You need not know them individually,
Or they you.
The light is so strong that it radiates throughout the sonship,
And returns thanks to the Father for radiating His joy upon it.
Only God's holy children are worthy channels of His beautiful joy,
Because only they are beautiful enough to hold it by sharing it.
It is impossible for a child of God to love his neighbor except as himself.
That is why the healer's prayer is,
Let me know this brother as I know myself.
