Little Steps of Grace

. . . on having nothing but what comes from God

A central premise of ACIM is that our lives in the world will be transformed as we learn how to discern between ego and Holy Spirit, become willing to listen to the Holy Spirit, and eventually hear only the Holy Spirit.

In the latter stage, we will still live in the dream of separation, in the illusion of other-than-God, but the veil will be so thin - the gap so tiny - it will be bridged as easily as drawing a breath.

. . . This little step, so small it has escaped your notice, is a stride through time into eternity, beyond all ugliness into beauty that will enchant you, and will never cease to cause you wonderment at all its perfection (T-17.II.2:6).

The Text goes on to call that little step "the greatest accomplishment of all in God's plan of Atonement" because it is given, not learned (T-17.II.3:1-2).

This illusion "transcends" other illusions in the sense that it is the last or penultimate one. We might think of it as the last moment of the dream, in which the dreamer knows he dreams but also recalls the real world into which he is about to awaken.

In this final illusion, we still perceive our brothers and sisters as separate but we know the perception as an illusion. Effectively, we can now discern between the appearance of bodies each with its own distinct self and "Christ," which is the Self those apparently separate bodies share and thus are.

In that sense, even "Christ" is an illusion for in God there is no distinction - not even one that would allow for Christ. The Course hints at this in Chapter 15 when it talks about the holy instant as a moment of perfect communication, i.e., one in which there is no need for language (or interpretation) because there is no other with whom to communicate.

The intimation that this perfect communion is given, not learned or earned, is fundamental. We are not tasked with anything other than our willingness to continue to discern between the ego's teaching and the Holy Spirit's, and to choose the Holy Spirit's.

There is a lovely line in the early text where Jesus, speaking in the first person, suggests the outcome of this willingness.

I have nothing that does not come from God. The difference between us now is that I have nothing else (T-2.II.3:11-12).

The measure of our willingness is our happiness and peace, and that is measured in relationship with our brothers and sisters. Are we making others happy? Are we bringing peace to their minds and stillness to their hearts? Nor is this something we decide on our own. The other - be it a co-worker, a maple tree or a beam of moonlight - can only reflect back to us our self.

In other words, it is not a question of how "Sean" feels or thinks but rather how "Sean" perceives his brothers and sisters, the living others with whom we share a cosmos. And my perception is shaped by willingness to serve them - to be nonviolent unto them, humble unto them, and to seek only to help them. I will fail in this, of course, but that doesn’t mean the way itself is misguided.

In a world where everyone wants to be a servant there can be no Kings and there can be no conflict. I suspect this is something like what it means to have nothing that does not come from God.

Nor do I think an intellectual understanding of these concepts is trivial. In fact, I think understanding the radical nature of service and love which A Course in Miracles contemplates is essential to our practice. It functions as a light which both shows us how far we have to go but also shows us the way to go.

Thank you, as always, for walking with me.

Love,
Sean