No matter how clear or obvious our spiritual guidance, we sometimes miss its initial expression. We feel an impulse to call a friend, complete a task, or clarify an understanding, but then dismiss it. The impulse recurs and we think, “Oh, yeah. I gotta do that,” but still we procrastinate. Eventually, something happens that can’t be ignored: the friendship falters, the leaky pipe bursts, the small miscommunication snowballs into a family feud.
God's light, love, and comforting, healing presence are far more powerful than darkness, pain and loss. But it's up to those of us who know this to bring it into expression, especially in the aftermath of the Boston tragedy.
The Hebrew Bible is filled with accounts of Israelites being punished for worshipping false idols. God is repeatedly characterized as an abusive father punishing his kids for disobeying. It's apparently a very big issue. Indeed, "I am the Lord your God," and "Thou shall bring no other Gods before me," take the top two spots in the Ten Commandments.
Unity teaches Jesus died and was resurrected to demonstrate that beyond the realm of the seen, we are divinely connected to God and all that is.
Asked why she didn't participate in anti-war demonstrations, Mother Teresa said, "I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I'll be there."
Sacred connections between kindred strangers are powerful expressions of God's love and its power to heal. In this heart-opening story from her recent trip to Kauai, UNS member Trisha Ricketts reminds us that the divine within is mightier than any earthly schism -- even wounds of war.
Ever feel restless, or grumpy, or anxious about a tough situation you're anticipating? It's a signal that you're not aligned with the greater self, the Christ of you, the divine within. It usually means we're trying to power through the day fueled by personal will and ego, rather than trusting Spirit to act through us, as us. So how do we reconnect with Source? How do we activate God's power and presence in all our affairs? What does reconnecting look and feel like?
Drivers often make stupid choices at the crazy "A"-shaped intersection in front of the church. I understand the mixing and narrowing of lanes where Crawford, Gross Point and Central converge is confusing. All the more reason the massive bright red SUV that cut me off to make a right turn from the left lane on a snow-slick roadway ought to have been more cautious. No time to honk. Thankfully, I braked hard enough, quickly enough, on pavement that was dry enough to avoid colliding.
Long story short: Embarrassed that our outdoor Christmas tree was still on display after Valentine’s Day, I paid a neighbor-in-need to clean out a basement storeroom so the tree could be stowed before St. Patty’s Day. The job included re-stacking a sloppily arranged collection of space-devouring plastic bins, one of which contained a pair of dead black birds. Judging by appearance, their accidental transition had transpired many months (perhaps years) ago.
It’s Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, when many mainstream Christians commit to fasting or giving up certain luxuries as a form of pennance to prep for Easter. Unity’s understanding is subtly and profoundly different. Some of us fast from some pleasurable indulgence or “vice” (TV? Coffee? Alcohol? Cursing? Sugar?) for physical and psychological benefit. But spiritually, our intention is to raise the vibration of the consciousness we hold. That involves an entirely different type of giving up.
