Thursday, December 31, 2009

Transformational Living

Forgiveness: Part II

I’ve just finished reading The Shock of Conscience” by Rob Baker in Parabola Magazine in the issue on Forgiveness. He begins his essay by noting that we seldom equate Broadway musicals such as Les Miserables with “serious ideas of a spiritual nature. The musical glossed over the inner struggles of Valjean and Javert in spite of several powerful songs. Baker wrote:

“The miserable ones are not so much the starving masses or the politically oppressed as they are the spiritually bankrupt, those individuals who cannot forgive others or themselves.”

Both men came from impoverished backgrounds, Valjean serving 19 years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread and Javert becoming a “self-appointed prosecutor of the Law”. Valjean, the thief, is saved and redeemed through the power of loving forgiveness. Javert, the policeman, is driven to extremes of vengeance because of his complete inability to forgive.

Valjean sought to transform his life in the midst of social and political chaos, learning from and growing through his suffering. Javert, driven by hatred and the turmoil of an inner rage, denied even the possibility of hope and redemption. Valjean ‘won’ through acts of compassion for and surrender to Javert.

“…the real revolution remains an inner struggle for clarity and wholeness…an acceptance of his suffering and something higher that has come to rule his life.”

Is it possible that Valjean and Javert are the opposite sides of the same coin? Is it possible that our inner conflict comes not from the world around us, but from the unforgiven/unforgivable within us? We teach, preach and practice forgiveness of others, but have we learned to forgive ourselves as well?

Rev. Claudia Naylor


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Transformational Living

Keys to Wholeness: Forgiveness

The Burning Bowl is a powerful symbol of forgiveness and letting go to grow. We can hold on to anger and resentment and warm ourselves by the burning fires of turmoil in our stomach. Or not.

It sounds like a ridiculously simple and logical choice: forgive or suffer. Yet, consciously or unconsciously, we slide into “instant replay” mode and allow the perfect storm of ricocheting emotions to build up into an overwhelming wall of doom. Jesus said in Mt. 5:44-45:

“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.”

In Mt.22:37 He said:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. And, You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

Fr. Thomas Hopko addressed the issue of forgiveness in “Living in Communion”. He writes that we are created in the image and likeness of God and that forgiveness is essential if we are to ”carry on in a spirit of love without letting the evil poison the future.”

We must acknowledge the facts--the pain, allow ourselves to grieve and then we must forgive because:

“The only way you can prove you love God is by loving your neighbor, and the only way you can love your neighbor in this world is by endless forgiveness.”

Transformational living requires that we make conscious choices, daily, to come up higher. Cast off the mental and emotional burdens of the past and begin the New Year lighter and brighter, freer than ever before. As Fr. Hopko wrote:

“Forgiveness is not just the healing of the other, it is the healing of yourself, too. If you don’t forgive, you allow yourself to be poisoned.”

Rev. Claudia Naylor


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Thursday, December 17, 2009

Advent: Metaphysically Speaking

Love Came Down at Christmas

Christ is born anew in hearts and minds around the world at Christmas time. And for those with eyes to see and ears to hear, His love fills the earth with glory, the theme for the fourth Sunday of Advent. We come to the Nativity with minds and hearts open and receptive to the Word of God.

The infant Jesus was born to Mary in Bethlehem. Charles Fillmore responded to questions about the Virgin Birth in this way:


Unity accepts the virgin birth of Jesus,
and finds in it a deep metaphysical significance.
Tradition tells us that Mary was not only
virgin by reason of her unmarried state, but she was
also virgin in mind and heart.
Just as Jesus was born to one whose mind and heart were
pure and uncorrupted,
so too is the Spirit of Christ born into individual consciousness
as the mind and heart are made pure and clean.

Awakening consciousness surrounds itself with star light and candle light symbolizing spiritual enlightenment. The angels are messengers of God pointing the way to the Christ. The shepherds keeping watch over their sheep will come to symbolize Jesus as the Good Shepherd—one who protects and guides. The Wise Men from the East represent the inner resources of Spirit giving birth to the One who would be called Teacher. His birth in a stable with a manger for His bed signifies the humble beginnings of all people everywhere.

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When we follow His star and let love shine through every thought, word and action, we too shall grow beyond the humble to the glorious.


Rev. Claudia Naylor




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Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Advent: Metaphysically Speaking

Joy to the World!

Like the Wisemen, we seek the Star in the East. During Advent we journey from that place in consciousness we now inhabit to the birth place of wisdom and love, deep within our soul. Our journey can last a mere heart beat or a life time.

Jesus, the teacher, was born 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem. The Christ is born anew in Man with every prayer, with every awakening soul. No matter who we are, where we are or what we have done along the way, the Christ affirms: "and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age." (Mt.28:20)

The Children of Israel were notoriously bad about going astray on their journey of awakening. During the time of Isaiah, God finally resorted to what we would call tough love because the people failed to heed His Word and ignored punishment. But even as He condemned them to paying the consequences of their actions, He reaffirmed His love for them with the promise of a redemption. Isaiah prophesied the return of the people to the House of the Lord:

Many people shall come and say,
"Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths."
He shall judge between the nations,
And rebuke many people;
They shall beat their swords into plowshares,
And their spears into pruning hooks;
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
Neither shall they learn war anymore.
Is. 2:3-4

If we are to live with hope, in peace, and celebrate the birth of our own indwelling Lord, then we must set aside all warring thoughts and feelings. And if we would feel the joy of Advent, then let us join together to Behold the Christ in all who would war against us. Not to fix them, but to hold them in the Circle of God’s Love.

Rev. Claudia Naylor


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