A Course in Miracles
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"Think a while about what the world calls sacrifice. Power, fame, money, physical pleasure—who is the hero to whom all these things belong?"
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What is the Real Meaning of Sacrifice?
2 It takes great learning both to realize and to accept the fact that the world has nothing to give. What can the sacrifice of nothing mean? It cannot mean that you have less because of it. There is no sacrifice in the world's terms that does not involve the body. Think a while about what the world calls sacrifice. Power, fame, money, physical pleasure—who is the hero to whom all these things belong? Could they mean anything except to a body? Yet a body cannot evaluate. By seeking after such things, the mind associates itself with the body, obscuring its identity and losing sight of what it really is.
ACIM OE
MANUAL FOR TEACHERS
13. WHAT IS THE REAL
MEANING OF SACRIFICE?
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A Course in Miracles
Original Edition®
Workbook for Students
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1 Words will mean little now. We use them but as guides on which we do not now depend. For now we seek direct experience of truth alone. The lessons which remain are merely introductions to the times in which we leave the world of pain and go to enter peace. Now we begin to reach the goal this course has set and find the end toward which our practicing was geared. | |
A Course in Miracles
Original Edition®
Workbook for Students
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Part 2
What is a Miracle?
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1 A miracle is a correction. It does not create nor really change at all. It merely looks on devastation, and reminds the mind that what it sees is false. It undoes error, but does not attempt to go beyond perception nor exceed the function of forgiveness. Thus it stays within time's limits. Yet it paves the way for the return of timelessness and love's awakening, for fear must slip away under the gentle remedy it gives.
2 A miracle contains the gift of grace, for it is given and received as one. And thus it illustrates the law of truth the world does not obey because it fails entirely to understand its ways. A miracle inverts perception which was upside-down before, and thus it ends the strange distortions that were manifest. Now is perception open to the truth. Now is forgiveness seen as justified.
3 Forgiveness is the home of miracles. The eyes of Christ deliver them to all they look upon in mercy and in love. Perception stands corrected in His sight, and what was meant to curse has come to bless. Each lily of forgiveness offers all the world the silent miracle of love. And each is laid before the Word of God upon the universal altar to Creator and creation, in the light of perfect purity and endless joy.
4 The miracle is taken first on faith because to ask for it implies the mind has been made ready to conceive of what it cannot see and does not understand. Yet faith will bring its witnesses to show that what it rested on is really there. And thus the miracle will justify your faith in it and show it rested on a world more real than what you saw before—a world redeemed from what you thought you saw.
5 Miracles fall like drops of healing rain from Heaven on a dry and dusty world, where starved and thirsty creatures came to die. Now they have water. Now the world is green. And everywhere the signs of life spring up to show that what is born can never die, for what has life has immortality.
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A Course in Miracles
Original Edition®
Workbook for Students
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Part 2
Lesson 347
Anger must come from judgment.
Judgment is the weapon
I would use against myself
to keep all miracles
away from me.
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1 Father, I want what goes against my will and do not want what is my will to have. Straighten my mind, my Father. It is sick. But You have offered freedom, and I choose to claim Your gift today. And so I give all judgment to the One You gave to me to judge for me. He sees what I behold, and yet He knows the truth. He looks on pain, and yet He understands it is not real, and in His understanding it is healed. He gives the miracles my dreams would hide from my awareness. Let Him judge today. I do not know my will, but He is sure it is Your own. And He will speak for me, and call Your miracle to come to me.
2 Listen today. Be very still and hear the gentle Voice for God assuring you that He has judged you as the Son He loves.
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A Course in Miracles
Original Edition®
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MANUAL for TEACHERS
Introduction
par 1-5
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1 The role of teaching and learning is actually reversed in the thinking of the world. The reversal is characteristic. It seems as if the teacher and the learner are separated, the teacher giving something to the learner rather than to himself. Further, the act of teaching is regarded as a special activity in which one engages only a relatively small proportion of one's time. The course, on the other hand, emphasizes that to teach is to learn, so that teacher and learner are the same. It also emphasizes that teaching is a constant process—it goes on every moment of the day and continues into sleeping thoughts as well. | |
A Course in Miracles
Original Edition®
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13. What is the Real Meaning of Sacrifice?
par 1-8
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1 Although in truth the term sacrifice is altogether meaningless, it does have meaning in the world. Like all things in the world, its meaning is temporary and will ultimately fade into the nothingness from which it came when there is no more use for it. Now its real meaning is a lesson. Like all lessons, it is an illusion, for in reality there is nothing to learn. Yet this illusion must be replaced by a corrective device, another illusion that replaces the first, so both can finally disappear. The first illusion, which must be displaced before another thought system can take hold, is that it is a sacrifice to give up the things of this world. What could this be but an illusion, since this world itself is nothing more than that?
2 It takes great learning both to realize and to accept the fact that the world has nothing to give. What can the sacrifice of nothing mean? It cannot mean that you have less because of it. There is no sacrifice in the world's terms that does not involve the body. Think a while about what the world calls sacrifice. Power, fame, money, physical pleasure—who is the hero to whom all these things belong? Could they mean anything except to a body? Yet a body cannot evaluate. By seeking after such things, the mind associates itself with the body, obscuring its identity and losing sight of what it really is.
3 Once this confusion has occurred, it becomes impossible for the mind to understand that all the "pleasures" of the world are nothing. But what a sacrifice—and it is sacrifice indeed—all this entails! Now has the mind condemned itself to seek without finding, to be forever dissatisfied and discontented, to know not what it really wants to find. Who can escape this self-condemnation? Only through God's Word could this be possible. For self-condemnation is a decision about identity, and no one doubts what he believes he is. He can doubt all things but never this.
4 God's teachers can have no regret on giving up the pleasures of the world. Is it a sacrifice to give up pain? Does an adult resent the giving up of children's toys? Does one whose vision has already glimpsed the face of Christ look back with longing on a slaughter house? No one who has escaped the world and all its ills looks back on it with condemnation. Yet he must rejoice that he is free of all the sacrifice which its value would demand of him. To them he sacrifices all his freedom. To them he sacrifices all his peace. And to possess them must he sacrifice his hope of Heaven and remembrance of his Father's Love. Who in his sane mind chooses nothing as a substitute for everything?
5 What is the real meaning of sacrifice? It is the cost of believing in illusions. It is the price that must be paid for the denial of truth. There is no pleasure of the world that does not demand this, for otherwise the pleasure would be seen as pain. And no one asks for pain if he recognizes it. It is the idea of sacrifice that makes him blind. He does not see what he is asking for. And so he seeks it in a thousand ways and in a thousand places, each time believing it is there and each time disappointed in the end. "Seek but do not find," remains this world's stern decree, and no one who pursues the world's goals can do otherwise.
6 You may believe this course requires sacrifice of all you really hold dear. In one sense that is true, for you hold dear the things that crucify God's Son. And it is the course's aim to set him free. But do not be mistaken about what sacrifice means. It always means the giving up of what you want. And what, oh teacher of God, is it that you want? You have been called by God, and you have answered. Would you now sacrifice that Call? Few have heard it as yet, and they can but turn to you. There is no other hope in all the world that they can trust. There is no other voice in all the world that echoes God's. If you would sacrifice the truth, they stay in hell. And if they stay, you will remain with them.
7 Do not forget that sacrifice is total. There are no "half sacrifices." You cannot give up Heaven partially. You cannot be a little bit in hell. The Word of God has no exceptions. It is this that makes it holy and beyond the world. It is its holiness that points to God. It is its holiness that makes you safe. It is denied if you attack any brother for anything. For it is here the split with God occurs. A split that is impossible. A split that cannot happen. Yet a split in which you surely will believe, because you have set up a situation that is impossible. And in this situation the impossible can seem to happen. It seems to happen at the "sacrifice" of truth.
8 Teacher of God, do not forget the meaning of sacrifice, and remember what each decision you make must mean in terms of cost. Decide for God, and everything is given you at no cost at all. Decide against Him, and you choose nothing at the expense of the awareness of everything. What would you teach? Remember only what you would learn. For it is here that your concern should be. Atonement is for you. Your learning claims it, and your learning gives it. The world contains it not, but learn this course and it is yours. God holds out His Word to you, for He has need of teachers. What other way is there to save His Son?
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NEW Commentary ~ Guidance from Elder Brother |
Received and Transcribed by Sun~Rose
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: The Course text is in boldface. The Guidance is in normal type In His Guidance; He has asked Me to capitalize the pronouns You and We as an acknowledgment of the Divinity of All of Us, an acknowledgment of Equality, an expression of His Love and respect for You. When You see the word ‘YOU’ capitalized in the Guidance, know that He is not just speaking to YOU, He is honoring YOU.
NOTE: Use the SEARCH box to go to the current Lesson. ["Lesson ###"]
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ACIM Edmonton
Sarah's Workbook Reflections
Lesson 347
Anger must come from judgment.
Judgment is the weapon
I would use against myself
to keep all miracles
away from me.
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Today is a day of listening and bypassing the noise of the ego so we can hear the gentle Voice for God affirming we are the Son He loves. As Jesus says "You have the right to all the universe; to perfect peace, complete deliverance from all effects of sin; and to the life eternal, joyous and complete in every way, as God appointed for His Holy Son. This is the only justice Heaven knows, and all the Holy Spirit brings to earth." (T.25.VIII.14.1-2) (ACIM OE T.25.IX.77) But it is not enough just to hear it and say we believe it as the truth. We need to experience how deeply we are loved. Through the holy instant, a moment outside of the dream of this world, we feel the grace of God. This is made possible when we commit moment by moment to choose compassion, kindness, harmony, peace, and patience. We set our goal daily for healing and peace through the application of the daily Lessons that we are given in this Course. We stay vigilant for God and His Kingdom; and when we do, we willingly give to the Holy Spirit all the ways we judge and withhold love.
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¡Nuevo! ¡Las Reflexiones de Sarah están en español! AUDIO y PDF.
Love and blessings, Sarah
Please send gifts of gratitude for these commentaries to Sarah Huemmert via PayPal to huemmert@shaw.ca Also, your feedback is always welcome via this email address.
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¡Nuevo! Los audios de Sarah's Reflections están en YOUTUBE
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Allen Watson's
Workbook Commentaries
Lesson 347
Anger must come from judgment.
Judgment is the weapon
I would use against myself
to keep all miracles
away from me.
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Allen Watson joined Robert Perry to form the Circle of Atonement in 1993 in Sedona, Arizona, where Allen led retreats and workshops and authored many books based on “A Course in Miracles.”
It is with hearts filled with Love and Gratitude that we share with you the passing of Allen Watson. His precious Soul has returned HOME where HE would have us be and where we are in Truth.
We are so incredibly grateful to you, Allen, for all the gifts you have given the Course Community from the depth of your heart. You came to be a Light in the seeming dark and fulfilled your role so beautifully. Blessings to you, dear beloved Brother.
~*~
A timeless, beautiful gift from Allen: “A Workbook Companion: Vol I and II.”
COMMENTARY ~ LESSON 347
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