How to find God … (04/08/12)
“The average man does not know what to do with his life,
yet wants another one which will last forever.” ~ Anatole France
…
Here we are on Easter Sunday, a day when many will go to church in one form or another to get back in touch with the Divine —
a day when we will enter “God’s house” and look for answers, or salvation, or grace, or God Itself.
“Any God I ever felt in church I brought in with me.” ~ Alice Walker
I was taught that God resided in the church, and yet I have discovered during the course of a life dedicated to spiritual adventure that, while God does indeed reside in churches all around the world, He/She/It tends to define “church” a bit more loosely than most of us do. To the Divine, which encompasses literally everything in this glorious Universe, “church” is wherever you happen to consciously BE. It is not enough to go anywhere to be with God — you have to choose to pause and BE wherever you are.
That’s the real doorway through which we walk to truly be in God’s company.
Of course, step two on this search is even more important: Once you are conscious of the Divine that resides within everything around you, you become aware that the same perfection reside within you — and that the only way to sincerely honor that Essence to ACT ACCORDINGLY; that the only way to truly “do God’s will” is to reach out to Care for another.
Being a member of a church or attending church regularly or being baptized or professing Jesus as “your only Lord and Savior” are all fine and dandy. Heaven knows that the Apostle Paul would be immensely pleased with all four. Of course, to please the Divine — to enter the “Kingdom of Heaven” that Jesus describes in the Bible, it is only necessary to reach out for one moment and be Kind when least inclined;
… to care for the downtrodden;
… to forgive those who insult or cheat you;
… to be the Love we all so wish to see.
“If anyone brands you as an infidel, tell him that Love occupies a position more exalted than religion, and has nothing to do with faith or heresy.
Whoever sets his feet firmly in the abiding-place of Love transcends both the bounds of infidelity and the limitations of faith.” ~ inspired by Attar
Frankly, it doesn’t really matter whether you are a Christian or not.
To be “saved” is to feel how it feels to be literally ONE with your life.
And to feel this perfect Peace, it is necessary to Love — to Love courageously & actively & radically & with empathy.
At least, that was Jesus’ position on the matter …
“A new command I give you: Love one another. Just as I have Loved you, so you must Love one another.
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples: if you show Love to one another …
If you understand these things, blessed are you while you do them.” ~ Jesus Christ (John 13:34-35+17)
This is the very reBirth that Jesus so wanted us all to know — this is why he preached that we could all do “even greater things” than he did.
You see, there is nothing greater than Caring for those you don’t like —
… there is nothing greater than having the humility to reach out and be Kind to a stranger —
… there is nothing greater than having the courage to forgive your enemies.
Today, my Friends, is not about being a “good Christian” …
Today is about reawakening to the perfect Love that resides within you right now —
… the “Christ” that lives within every being on this planet.
Yes, regardless of your religion (or lack thereof), LOVE is waiting to be reBorn in your life today.
So … got LOVE?
“The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting;
it has been found difficult and left untried.” ~ G. K. Chesterton
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