Whenever means and end are discussed in the Course, I find it can seem very convoluted and difficult to follow until you get the gist of it. This Lesson, therefore, does not seem to be quite as direct and straightforward to understand as some of the others. It's hard to figure out how to apply the Lesson today. As I see it, when it is distilled to the simple core of it, Jesus is basically saying, as God's Son, I have only one purpose here, which is to find the innocence God has placed in me. In other words, I accept the Atonement for myself. If I just live by this one dictate, everything else falls into place. How this happens is I then see everything in this world as another opportunity to forgive my misperceptions.

   
"What could conflict, when all the parts have but one purpose and one aim?" (W.318.1.2) In other words, why would we have conflict with any brother when we all share the same purpose and the same aim? Every seeming fragment of this one Christ Self (meaning everyone here) has the same purpose no matter what it looks like to us. All of us want to know our innocence, to know who we are as God's Son. Every aspect is part of the one whole. We all share one goal. Knowing that can help us to recognize, when we feel we are better than others or feel superior to any brother, we are misperceiving our reality as One Self. When we judge and critique other aspects of the Sonship, we are holding judgment against ourselves and thus not seeing who we really are. When we judge our brothers, have expectations of them, compare ourselves to them, or want to get something from them, we are seeing unhealed aspects of our own minds. We are not seeing the sameness of us all. When anyone is not accepted into the holy circle of Atonement, we too have left ourselves outside of it. "Each one you see you place within the holy circle of Atonement or leave outside, judging him fit for crucifixion or for redemption." (T.14.V.11.1)(ACIM OE T.14.II.15) As we watch our minds, we can now bring our condemning thoughts of any brother to the Holy Spirit. All of our comparisons are ways to keep us distinct, unique and separate from the whole. What this does is to maintain our suffering.
 
We are still much afraid of love, and Jesus is aware of this when he says, "Be not afraid of love. For it alone can heal all sorrow, wipe away all tears and gently waken from his dream of pain the Son whom God acknowledges as His. Be not afraid of this. Salvation asks you give it welcome. And the world awaits your glad acceptance, which will set it free." (W.PII.Q10.4.2-6)

This day is about watching our thoughts in order to see instances where we want to see ourselves as separate and different and compare ourselves with others. Notice whenever you are seeing yourself as more or less spiritual than others, when you choose to take sides in a situation that comes up today, or hold opinions and expectations of what others should think or do. When our purpose is healing the blocks to the truth, every thought or belief that belies that purpose can be forgiven, but we must see it first.

The challenge presented to us in this lesson is to use the means available to us to bring our darkness to the light. Only then can the light of our Being shine through to this dark world. In Christianity only Jesus has that role. He is the way and the truth and the life and he teaches that we are to use his example to do the healing work to be the way and the truth and the life. "Who is the light of the world except God's Son?" (W.6.1.1) The truth about ourselves is that we are God's Son. "I am the goal the world is searching for." (W.318.1.6) "I am the means by which God's Son is saved." (W.318.1.4) Therefore, in our script, each of us has been given many opportunities every day to accept Atonement (healing) for ourselves. Atonement is thus the undoing of a split that never occurred. " The Atonement is but the way back to what was never lost." (T.12.VIII.8.8)(ACIM OE T.11.IX.84)
     
Who I think I am as Sarah, a body living in the world, is just a figure in the dream. It is not the truth of me as the Christ Self. It is my mistaken identity whom I have come to believe is myself. In reality we are one Self, united with our Creator. When I awaken to that reality, I will know the truth about my Self. Thus, the end is to realize I am God's Son. The means is to see God's Son in everyone, including myself, and realize we all share the same goal, the same interests and the same purpose because we are One Self.

We all seem to be searching for who we are, but the search is unnecessary because we already are what we are searching for. We uncover this truth by giving up our blocks, which are our unforgiving thoughts. In doing so, the truth about ourselves is revealed. We think of ourselves as imperfect, guilty, fearful and that there is something about us (or others) that needs fixing. That is in itself the problem, because there is nothing to fix. Our belief that we need to fix ourselves only contributes to the problem. That is why Jesus reminds us we need do nothing. Trying to do something to fix ourselves perpetuates a belief that there is something wrong with us. We are seeking for something already in us. There is nothing to change about ourselves. We only need to bring our misperceptions to the truth.

What this requires of us is that we stop seeing ourselves as the innocent victims of forces beyond our control. We are not the innocent victims of our circumstances. The belief that we are being victimized is the basis for the stories we tell about our lives. If I am a victim, I must suffer, and if I suffer, it must be someone out there who is responsible for my pain. Someone must have inflicted it upon me. "Behold me, brother, at your hand I die." (T.27.I.4.6)(ACIM OE T.27.II.4) This is the war cry of the ego. You are the cause of my pain. My script is not my own and I am not responsible for my life, according to the thinking of the victim stance. "I didn't do it, it's not my fault," is the way we try to buy our innocence in this world in the false hope that God's punishment will thus be delivered to our brothers instead of ourselves.
 
This comes up all the time in our lives. Sometime ago when my mother was admitted to the hospital, I went there to talk with the staff. I stood at the desk waiting to talk to someone. I noticed the head nurse and the doctor engaged in conversation and I stood waiting for at least ten minutes as they chatted with each other and seemed to ignore my presence. I noticed some slight irritation came up that I was being ignored, but I chose to release it and chose instead just to wait quietly without judgment and to choose peace. When the nurse finally stood up and approached me, she was so incredibly lovely in her support and helpfulness. I realized how different the conversation could have been if I felt victimized by this circumstance and expressed my self-importance. Yes, it was a small event of seemingly no great significance, yet I left feeling this important Lesson was again reinforced in my mind by this example.

It is not our dysfunctional parents, unkind peers, cruel and thoughtless teachers, merciless managers, unappreciative spouses, or uncaring staff who are the reason for our suffering. On the contrary, they are all necessary and beneficial to our learning curriculum here. "And to your brother let its message be, 'Behold me, brother, at your hand I live." (T.27.I.10.7)(ACIM OE T.27.II.11) They offer us another opportunity for our salvation by playing a role we have given them to help us awaken. They do so by showing us a reflection of our own unhealed thoughts, and when we release these thoughts, we receive the gift that comes to us through forgiveness.
 
When we no longer see ourselves as victims, but as responsible for our own script, we recognize the power in us. Are you ready for this? What is there to fear? Why do we resist? Our only job is to have the courage to find the barriers we have created between ourselves and Love. We say we want to undo the pain, but the ego keeps us seeking and seeking for ways to do this. Will this book, this teacher, this guru be the answer? The answer is within, Our remedy has been offered us. All we have to do is look at our own blocks without judgment and stop defending and resisting them. Allow them to be exposed. Allow your opinions and conclusions about everything in this world to be undone and recognize you don't know. To awaken is to give up every value you hold!

"Teachers of innocence, each in his own way, have joined together, taking their part in the unified curriculum of the Atonement. There is no unity of learning goals apart from this. There is no conflict in this curriculum, which has one aim however it is taught. Each effort made on its behalf is offered for the single purpose of release from guilt, to the eternal glory of God and His creation." (T.14.V.6.1-4)(ACIM OE T.14.II.10) If you are currently feeling pain, if you are going through some kind of trial, if you are not at peace, if you are distressed in any way, you have not truly released anyone from guilt. If you agree to see the sinlessness in them, if you join with them, if you forgive them, your pain will be completely dissolved. "The power of God Himself supports this teaching, and guarantees its limitless results." (T.14.V.6.7)(ACIM OE T.14.II.10)

Jesus assures us, "From everyone whom you accord release from guilt you will inevitably learn your innocence. " (T.14.V.7.5)(ACIM OE T.14.II.11) The people that attack us truly are our teachers. Because if we can release them, we have learned to release ourselves. They have agreed to play this difficult role in our lives for that purpose. We can crucify them or learn to forgive, and thus be released from the prison in which we hold our brothers and ourselves. It is our choice!
 
I was having some issues in my relationship with my mother and feeling anger toward her. We went together to a service for Memorial Day and, as I sat through the service, I asked for help to see the innocence in my mother. There is so much healing for me in this relationship and so many triggers. At the end of the service, a man whom I have never met, who was singing in the choir, came and put his arms around me and told me what a wonderful, beautiful, and caring daughter I was. Interestingly enough, I had felt the connection to this 'stranger' who delivered a short prayer as part of the service. It was strong joining of minds that had no explanation. He was clearly guided by the Holy Spirit to deliver a message to me that all was well.

I find when irritation arises in me because of something someone says or does, I am more and more consciously choosing to bring my judgments to the light and choosing peace instead. I find my determination is all that has changed. I am noticing more and more the part of my mind that works against my best interests wants to be right and wants to choose conflict instead of peace. All it takes is the willingness to stop and find another way.

"Let me today, my Father, take the role You offer me in Your request that I accept Atonement for myself." (W.318.2.1)