ON LOVE; PART DCLXXV
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GoodWill IS Love in Action
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FIRST IS THE GREAT COMMANDMENTS: “The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31).
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WHAT THEN IS LOVE? In a general sense love is benevolence, good will; that disposition of heart which inclines men to think favorably of their fellow men, and to do them good. In a theological sense, it includes supreme love to God, and universal good will to men.
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PLUS THE EVER IMPORTANT AND HIGH IDEAL TAUGHT TO US BY THE CHRIST: “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them” (Matthew 7:12).
We wrote our last essay on America’s Independence Day and after some thoughts on the idea of grace which has been our topic for many days now we centered in on the ideas of wars and conflicts as these are made and viewed by the ways of men in the world. We noted how that at every level of society carnal ideas pervade the thinking of men and how that this carnal attitude afflicts even the presumably religious man. Those of most ALL religions, sects and denominations, who DO NOT understand the depth of the Master’s teachings on Love and on the reality of the need for men to focus their lives, their thoughts and their attitudes, upon the things of God rather than the things of the self in the world. And we must understand that while these ideas are essentially individual, it IS each man who must work out his own Life, that they reach further into the affiliations that men may have with church, with state and with country as well as with the philosophies that are the rallying points of any group. We should try to see here how that men compromise their perception of Truth as their allegiance to combinations of these philosophies create changes in attitude resulting in ways that a man can see ALL that he chooses in a favorable light. This IS not an individual effect however as these ideas come upon us as groups who see Life in similar fashion and who seek to find some semblance of balance; and we should try to understand the historic perspective of this phenomenon and its more subtle changes through time.
By example we can keep our focus on the ideas of war and conflict; we should be able to clearly see that these ideas ARE NOT within the teaching of the Master who teaches us Love, meekness and even restraint in the face of adversity. Taking another part from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount as we did in the last post, we can clearly see how that Love IS the Way along with the reality of meekness and restraint. Just as we show in His same Sermon how that the aspirant and the disciple must choose the things of God over the things of the world in the last essay, we can show that these ideas of Love ARE intended to prevail over the wars and the conflits that have become a major focal point of our history and much of our current affairs. Jesus tells us:
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:38-45).
For sure there IS no mystery in these words, they ARE NOT parabolic in nature but are straightforward statements of Truth; and these ARE His words, His commandments, and among the realities that define one’s being accounted worthy of the Kingdom of God. These are in essence the “the will of my Father which is in heaven” which we recently discussed again in some detail, and the reality of the Truths found in the Parable of the Wise and the Foolish Builders where we must see that it IS the foolish who DO NOT keep His words.
In the dynamic that we show above regarding war and conflict and how that men mediate their view of Truth for their own comfort thereby losing track of the Truth of the Master’s words of which we read but a part above, we should be able to glimpse both the historical and the current ideas that have brought us to this time where men actually believe that God has some part to play in war and conflict and that He would choose one side over another. The reality IS of course that men DO NOT see clearly the Master’s words, that they DO resist evil which we should see as their confrontation with the ways of the world and of men and NOT specifically what can be imagined in that word; they DO NOT turn the other cheek but rather seek to better opposing forces. Men DO NOT give in when confronted with those who would take from them but rather give ALL of their energy to protecting what they have; they DO NOT give at the asking nor lend willingly as we read this in Luke’s version of His sayings where the Master says “and lend, hoping for nothing again” (Luke 6:35) which IS tantamount to giving.
While we speak here of men we are speaking in the context of wars and conflicts and we should understand this as that our view IS of those groups and divisions of men and their philosophies which have authority and that rule the world so to speak. We DO NOT refer to the individuals as there ARE likely many who DO see the Truth but unfortunately these ARE NOT yet enough to change the balance between the Truth of the Master’s words and the perceptions of men regarding their own pleasures and comforts as these develop in the doctrines of men. And this reaches into the very core of the Master’s teachings; His words on Love which we should understand first in the context of the Great Commandments that are at the head of our essay and His emphatic description of this Love as this appears in His Sermon on the Mount. In these religious and political groups, in these religions and nations, in ALL of the subdivisions and separations of men based in creed, in race, in color and whatsoever else, there IS NO apparent understanding of the simple words that say: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” nor IS there any understanding of the practical effects of the very idea of “Thou shalt love thy neighbour“.
And there IS NO understanding in these man made divisions of mankind of the fundamental Truth that IS behind His words about “your Father which is in heaven“: that He “maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” and the relationship of this idea to the greater Truth “that God is no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34). It IS in the historical failure of the church to see and understand the Truths of the Master’s words that have kept mankind in the grasp of the illusion and the glamour of Life in this world and we should understand that there was a time when the church that goes under the name of Christ had much power and forsook His Truths with doctrines of comfort and pleasure and the carnal wills of men. It IS in this historical perspective that men have been nurtured and made to see the doctrines for the Truth, doctrines which have led to and supported wars and conflicts even among those espousing opposing religious doctrines themselves.
It IS ironic that the words of the Master against the Pharisees and the other rulers of the Jews was NOT taken to apply to the man who should benefit from the teachings of the Master and he developed his own doctrines and creeds of faith. It IS unfortunate that the very words that the Master speaks to these Jews ARE understood exactly for what they mean yet ARE NOT extended to the similar habits of the Christian world. And it IS sad that the ancient prophecy that was spoken against the Jews was NOT ONLY not seen by the Jews in that day AND that they remained unseen after the Master shows them the error of their ways. Most of ALL it IS beyond imagination why men yet today DO NOT see these Truths as they are blinded by the illusion and the glamour of Life in form. We read the Master’s words to the Jews saying:
“Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear” (Mark 7:1-16).
These words ARE NOT about the washing of hands nor the washing of cups and pots and these words ARE NOT about the idea of honoring one’s father and mother; these words ARE about the carnal tendency to mediate the word of God into the more comforting doctrines of men. The Jews had the law and the commandments and they subverted them by their own doctrines and traditions and they ARE called out on this by the Prophet Isaiah but they DO NOT hear him as they become bound to doctrine and tradition by their quest for comfort and pleasure and then by nurturing and experience. And they DO NOT hear the Master’s words either as He reminds them of their error and of the prophet’s words. The lesson however IS NOT for them; for them the Master seems reconciled to the idea that this IS how they have become, this IS how the Jews are in their doctrines and traditions. The lesson IS for the man to whom the words of the Master come, to the man who can hear the loudness of the Truth of the word of God over the clamoring of the carnal thoughts and attitudes that are grounded in the illusion and the glamour of men. The message IS to His apostles and to those whom His apostles would teach and here we should try to see that the words of Peter and Paul and of John and James are in tune with the words of the Master and NOT in tune with the doctrines that men have derived from the misunderstanding and misinterpretation of their words.
Here we should see that the same dynamic that was at play in the day of the historical Jew who took the commandments and created doctrine, IS at play in the beginnings of the Christian movement as the early Church Fathers created doctrines from Truth….doctrines that diluted and changed the meaning and the intent of the Master’s words. Here we should see that the teaching as we read it above was NOT seen as the teaching that it IS, that it was for the future and NOT the past, and that still today most men in the church DO NOT realize the ideas that we are presenting here: that the doctrinal approach to Love and wars and conflicts IS NOT in tune with the Master’s words above from the Sermon on the Mount nor the overall intent of His words. Still today the Truth of the concept of “love thy neighbour” IS missed as IS the complimentary Truth that “there is no respect of persons with God” (Romans 2:11) and it IS in this failure that we see a modern day answer to James question: “From whence come wars and fightings among you? “.
And we can tie these ideas to grace, that in the misplaced view of Life in this world there IS NO grace in the hearts of men; again not individual men as some DO see the grace that comes in the form of revelation and realizations of Truth. It IS the ways of men that are the problem, ways that are established in antiquity and which can ONLY be changed by the proper education of future generations who DO see the Truth in the Master’s words and who can put aside the illusions that have made it so that to follow His words is reserved for the very holy or very religious and that this need NOT be done to attain the Kingdom of God. This IS the illusion of men in the Christian world; that they need only believe to be saved and their glamour IS in the doctrinal belief that they ARE right. From our perspective there IS NO grace in this approach to God, there IS no revelation nor realization of the Truth of Love as we read this above, and there IS NO movement away from the carnal ways of men whose interest IS in the self and those thoughts, ideas and actions that seemingly benefit the self in the world….unfortunately these include war and conflict.
We will continue with our thoughts in the next post.
| Aspect |
Potency |
Aspect of Man |
In Relation to the Great Invocation |
In relation to the Christ |
|
GOD, The Father |
Will or Power |
Spirit or Life |
Center where the Will of God IS KNOWN |
Life |
|
Son, The Christ |
Love and Wisdom |
Soul or Christ Within |
Heart of God |
Truth |
|
Holy Spirit |
Light or Activity |
Life Within |
Mind of God |
Way |
Note on the Quote of the Day
This daily blog also has a Quote of the Day which may not be in any way related to the essay. Many of these will be from the Bible and some just prayers or meditations that may have an influence on you and are in line with the subject matter of this blog. As the quote will change daily and will not store with the post, it is repeated in this section with the book reference and comment.
This Quote of the Day is the antithesis of glamour and illusion. In this mantram are the thoughts about ourselves and our brothers in the world that can diffuse those forces that hold a man in the world of things and prevent his spiritual progress.
Mantram of Unification
The sons of men are one and I am one with them.
I seek to love, not hate;
I seek to serve and not exact due service;
I seek to heal, not hurt.
Let pain bring due reward of light and love.
Let the Soul control the outer form, and life and all events,
And bring to light the love that underlies the happenings of the time.
Let vision come and insight.
Let the future stand revealed.
Let inner union demonstrate and outer cleavages be gone.
Let love prevail.
Let all men love.
The Mantram of Unification is a meditation and a prayer that at first affirms the unity of all men and the Brotherhood of Man based on the Fatherhood of God. The first stanza sets forth several truly Christian ideals in Unity, Love, Service and Healing. The second stanza is a invocation to the Lord and to our own Souls asking that from the pain (if there can truly be any) incurred in focusing on the Spirit and not the world will come Light and Love into our lives and that we begin to function as Souls through our conscious personalities. We ask that the spiritual control of our lives will bring to light for us the Love that underlies world events; a Love that the world oriented man will not see working out behind the scenes and also that the Love that we bring forth, individually and as a world group, can be seen by all and ultimately in all. Finally, in the last stanza we ask for those things that are needed for Love to abound. Vision and insight so that we can direct our attention properly; revelation of the future in the sense that all can see the Power of Love in the world; inner union so that we do not fall back into the world’s ways, that we faint not; and that a sense of separation, the antithesis of brotherhood, ends as we know it today. Let Love Prevail, Let All Men Love.spiritual control of our lives will bring to light for us the Love that underlies world events; a Love that the world oriented man will not see working out behind the scenes.
