The Myth of Separation

As a Catholic, I grew up reading the bible primarily because it was part of school curriculum. When I completed school, I still read the bible for inspiration although I admit I did not fully get the deeper meanings behind many of its contents.  When I became brave enough to open my consciousness to other beliefs, I started reading books from other faiths. My readings introduced me to a variety of stories, myths, and characters that would usually converge to a similar storyline:  man's longing for a full connection with a Higher Power and man's search for redemption in one form or another. Today I return to what is familiar and search the bible for the same redemption storyline.

Genesis 1: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

In the beginning, God the Source of all that is broke Himself into fragments that broke into more, creating infinite copies of Himself. The fragments formed into every infinite possibility in creation that included all beings, the stars, the moons, the planets including the planet called Earth and all its inhabitants. Then God was no longer alone for these fragments were ALL His children whom He looked upon with love, for how could one not love his own children?

With the passing of time, the children of Earth started to forget where they came from. God broke more pieces of Himself and sent messengers, but the children would not believe what the messengers have conveyed. The children said of Those who came: what blasphemy they speak, that we are precious and powerful children and heirs of God, even worthy of heaven? For in their forgetfulness, all the children could see were their illusions of darkness and sins, which made them feel unworthy of even the thought of knocking on the door of heaven. The children have forgotten that heaven’s door was always open for them. All they needed was a remembrance of their true being, for they comprised all that was very good created out of God Himself.

Genesis 1:31: Then God  saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.

If only the children will listen and remember from where they came from. If only the children will know to look within themselves, so that they will recall that they are part of all creation that God looked upon and which he saw was very good. For hidden within them are fragments of God Himself. These fragments call for the children’s return to God,

Matthew 11:15: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

but the noise and illusions of the world has drowned out the call.

In the bible, there is a parable about a Prodigal Son. He had asked his father for a share of his inheritance and left his father’s kingdom to relish his worldly possessions. As material things are temporary, in time the son lost all his wealth and found himself destitute and hungry, in such a  desperate state that he was sharing the food of the swine that were under his care.

Luke 15:17-24. The Parable of the Prodigal Son

17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

As the parable goes, the Prodigal Son decided to return to his father and was ready to give up his sonship, become a hired servant in his father’s kingdom, just so that he could return. To the son's surprise, his father welcomed him gladly. The father did not mention any blame or spoke angry words, and instead welcomed his son with great gladness and a grand celebration too! I imagine such is the happiness of God our Father, when His children remember and return to Him. So, can you imagine the party that must go on in heaven, every time one of the children remembers and returns?

Matthew 15:10: "Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

This leads us to the question of how do we accomplish true repentance or a return to God? But I would like to state this question in another way: How do you return when in reality you have never left? We never left because our true nature as children of God remains unchanged, but we need to open our spiritual eyes to be able to see and understand this truth. As the Course in Miracles teaches, "we are still as God created us" which means inside all of us is the pure  being that came from God Himself, which cannot be affected by the world of man. In my heart, I hold these firmly as true:

What came from God is eternally pure, having come from a pure consciousness.  And are we not of God? Therefore inside all of us, no matter how much we bury or forget, is a gem: our soul that shines brighter than the sun. Our soul is a particle of God Himself, that like its source will remain untarnished and eternal, in whatever incarnation we choose it to be. 

However, as man is given the power to be a creator himself, he has created a world of guilt and punishment and has buried his true being under many illusions.

I have been told by well meaning folks that I will go to hell when I die because I do not prescribe to a specific way of worship as stipulated by their  faith. I rebel against that, because I could not perceive a God of conditional love.

I have always believed that heaven and hell is a state of mind, and one does not have to die to go there.  For example, a mind filled with chaos and anger is hell. A mind filled with love and peace is heaven. Therefore, we have the power to create heaven or hell inside all of us during our lifetime. It is also up to us to maintain or liberate (ourselves and our brothers) from these  states of mind.

In their illusion of separation from God, the children of Earth were taken over by a sense of fear and lack, and tried to build weapons and fortresses to protect themselves. Their days and nights were used for seeking security through matter that they could see, feel, and touch, forgetting the invisible power that was available inside them that assured of the abundance of supply in God's creation:

Matthew 6:33: But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

The children's imprisonment in their own fearful creations was so severe that an ultimate sacrifice of love had to be made:

1 John 4:9: This is how God's love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.

The children crucified Him who was sent. And Christ dying on the cross, has said:

John 19: 30: When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

And through Christ's crucifixion, all sin is finished. Let us therefore stop crucifying and condemning ourselves and our brothers, for "It is finished". No other sacrifice is required. All that is asked of us now is to seek oneness with the mind of Christ, for in Christ is the mind forever reconciled with God, having never left the state of union with God. 

Corinthians 5:18-19: 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

As we accept our reconciliation with God our Father, we return to His kingdom. There is no need to go far to reach the kingdom, for it is here now:

Luke 17:21: nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed the kingdom of heaven is within you.

May we all find clarity and courage to seek and find the kingdom within. The innocence of the child within us holds the key to the door of the heavenly kingdom. When we learn to forgive the world and to forgive ourselves, our inner child returns. 

Mark 10:13-15: 13People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

And as a child in all our innocence, confident of being loved, we look to God our Father and ask that the door be opened.

Matthew 7:7: Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you.

And God our Father gladly welcomes us home.