I invite you to imagine yourself inside a glorious dining room.
It has high ceilings filled with beautiful lights, immaculately constructed walls, and
doorways, there in the middle of the room envision a table…and at it sits Christ.
It may assume any image you choose.
A traditional depiction of Christ as Jesus, or perhaps something else.
This presence is entirely welcoming This presence is entirely loving
This presence is here to help show you The Way
As you again glance at the table, you begin to see that it has no clear beginning or end.
It stretches longer than your eyes can see on either side.
This Christ Presence invites you to sit at this table.
You look at this Christ Presence and ask “Why?”
Perhaps there is a part of you that wonders if you are worthy to sit at the table of someone
so exalted.
The Presence answers you, “We make room for everyone.”
As this presence invites you to sit once again, if you feel so comfortable, sit.
It is now safe to ask this presence anything you would like.
Perhaps you ask this presence, “What is your relationship with me?”
Or to show you how to have a greater faith?
Or where am I most called to be a presence for Forgiveness?
Or how to best enter and live in the Kingdom of Heaven?
This Christ Presence may answer you with words, or with a feeling of intuition, or with an
image or series of images.
At this time, this Presence is so grateful that you joined its table.
By sitting at this table you have accepted your place among the great spiritual teachers
and prophets of the ages.
The best of whom never saw themselves as better or more exalted as anyone, but in fact taught
that you are as good and can be as exalted as they are.
Because of this realization this Christ Presence now wants you to follow him outside.
Follow this presence outside and the setting is beautiful.
It is majestic, pristine, everything outside is so clearly part of one life, one essence,
one unity.
Filled with vitality and animated by a Holy Spirit.
There is a lake at the center of this scene, and you look there and this Christ Presence
is waiting for you.
This presence asks you to enter the water.
This water which is symbolic of pure spirit- all wisdom, all knowing, perfect spiritual
clarity.
If you feel comfortable enter the water.
How does it feel?
Does it feel still, or is there a flow?
Ernest Holmes said, “The symbol of water is used to express
the idea of a complete immersion in spirit.
As water flows in and around, so we are immersed in an everlasting spirit which flows around
in and through us.
To be immersed in water symbolizes our recognition that we are surrounded by pure spirit.
It is the outward sign of an inner conviction.
But water alone cannot make us completely clear or whole.
We must be born of the Spirit, for that which is born of the spirit is spirit.”
This presence asks to take your hand and gently dips your entire body and head into this lake.
All you see is dark, and yet, under this water it is like your eyes are being opened.
There is no image, but all of a sudden, even with your eyes closed, there is rush of pure
light so bright that you would close your eyes again if you could.
There is a rush of light that seems to expand your vision of light from your eye balls to
the center of your forehead and the top of your head…as if your vision is expanding.
You actually have to open your eyes because the light is so bright and when you do it
is clear that your head has risen from the waters.
And all is as it was but you still see this pure light.
Pure perfect light.
All is illuminated by this light.
Some words from Ernest Holmes…
“We are living in an eternal day right now and if we would taste the joys of the Kingdom
of God, which has been called heaven, it will only be as those joys are loosed through our
own consciousness, in the knowledge that our soul is born of eternal day, eternal light,
immortal life, now we should enter our inheritance.”
You catch a sillouette of a dove flying above…symbolizing the flight of your own soul to a heavenly
realm, where you will always be connected on earth.
This connection opens you up to hear the voice of God.
“You are my Child, the beloved, my favor rests on you.”
Henri Nouwen channeled this voice this way: “I have called you by name, from the very
beginning.
You are mine and I am yours.
You are my beloved, on you my favor rests.
I have molded you in the depths of the earth and knitted you together in your mother’s
womb.
I have carved you in the palm of my hands and hidden you in the shadow of my embrace.
I look at you with infinite tenderness and care for you with a care more intimate than
that of a mother for her child.
I have counted every hair on your head and guided you at every step.
Wherever you go, I go with you, and wherever you rest, I keep watch.
I will give you food that will satisfy all your hunger and drink that will quench your
thirst.
I will not hide my face from you.
You know me as your own as I know you as my own.
You belong to me.
I am your father, your mother, your brother, your sister, your lover, and your spouse…yes,
even your child…wherever you are I will be.
Nothing will ever separate us.
We are one.”
With that you exit the water, and the Chris Presence is no longer there.
You realize immediately that it is not because this Presence is absent, but because it is
now a part of you.
And although the voice of God is no longer being spoken, it is still being heard…in
the cells of your being, in the chords of your heart.
Nouwen shares
Knowing This Christ Presence with you is Awakening Knowing this Voice is always speaking to you
is Living in the Kingdom of Heaven And now, returning to awareness of where you
are right now, in this class, with other like hearts…you are in a way, reborn.
Ready to now choose how you will live with the knowledge of this Christ Presence with
you…and the Presence of this Voice always speaking to you if you would listen.
“In this peace that holds me so gently I find strength and protection from all fear
or anxiety It is the peace of God in which I feel the
love of a Holy Presence I am so conscious of this love, this protection,
that every sense of fear slips away from me as mist fades in the morning light.
I see good in everything, God personified in all people, Life manifest in every event.”