“How Deep Is Your Commitment to God?” January 3, 2010
How available are you? No matter how earnestly you have prayed, “Use me, Oh God. Show me what I must do to serve You,” when it comes down to it, how available are you? When you see someone in need or a situation that needs remedying and that little voice within tells you that you can be the one to help, how often do you excuse yourself, claiming a prior commitment, too full a schedule, or just being too tired after a busy day? How often do you say, “Not now; call on me when I have more time? I am just not available right now.” In other words, how deep is your commitment to God?
A major universal law is the Law of Circulation, stated in colloquial terms, “What goes around comes around.” When we live solely for ourselves, we cut off the supply of good. When we choose to be unavailable to others in need, when we are in need we find ourselves alone without any help. It is not that we do good only in hopes of return–that is not giving, that is bargaining. We do so because no matter how valuable material things may be, it is spiritual coin that is of utmost value. When we make ourselves available to God and others, we find ourselves in that circular flow of good, creating the world that works for everyone. So ask yourself, “How available am I?”
By Catherine Carriere, RScP Emeritus
“Every Day Is a New Beginning” December 27, 2009
Most people consider New Year’s Day a new beginning, an opportunity to set their intentions for the year, perhaps to rebuild their life. There are other times during the year that feel like new beginnings—September, when school starts after the slower days of summer, the fall equinox, the winter solstice, the first days of spring, or the advent of summer—all times when there is an increased energy for the days ahead. There is often a new sense of excitement, an urge to accomplish new things, the sense of being able to heal relationships, to create a life of love, peace, joy and all the good that is available to us, or to repair the mistakes of the past. We look forward to these times of change.
Yet, in truth, every day is a new beginning, every day we are born anew. We don’t have to wait for some “magical” date to start to create a new and better life. It has been said that each day presents us with a clean slate on which to write the history of that day. No matter what has happened in the past, we can begin to change our life right now. No matter what the past has held, or what may lie in the future, we have this present moment to design the life we dream of living. So as we look forward to the new year, let us know that we have the power to make that dream come true. What a precious gift that is. Thank you, God!
By Catherine Carriere, RScP Emeritus
“Peace on Earth, Goodwill to All” December 20, 2009
Christmas! The time when we celebrate the birth of the infant who grew up to demonstrate the fully developed Christ consciousness. His message was thirty years in the maturing, but during the three short years of his ministry, culminating in his crucifixion , he changed the course of history. His message of the power of Love was revolutionary at that time. The prevalent attitude of that day was that “might made right” and that the way to overcome tyranny was by violence. Jesus taught that Love overcomes all hate just as light overcomes darkness. Unfortunately there are still many today who believe that the way to peace is through war—the way of the sword. The time has come to bring the message of Jesus to full fruition—the time to forge swords into plowshares as we cultivate peace on earth.
Jesus knew that within each of us lies the divine spark with the potential to develop into the Christ consciousness. As we join together in the silence, let us allow the true message of Christmas to stir that inner spark into a flame that truly lights up the world. Let us demonstrate the true power of Love to create a world of peace, a world that works for everyone.
By Catherine Carriere, RScP Emeritus
“It is God’s Good Pleasure to Give Us the Kingdom” December 13, 2009
Have you ever set aside your dreams because you felt that you were unworthy; that somehow you didn’t deserve having those things that you yearned to have? All too often we fall into the false belief that we have somehow failed to reach a particular standard that would make us worthy. The truth is that right now we are deserving of having the good that we desire whether it is in relationships, creativity, employment or other financial success–whatever it is we have dreamed of. It doesn’t matter what we have failed to do in the past, or what mistakes we may have made, the so called sins of omission or commission. We can always achieve our deepest desires when we come to realize that, as stated in Scripture: It truly is God’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom.
As we come to know, really know, that God is all that there is and that God is always giving of Its Infinite abundance, we open ourselves to all the opportunities that exist to make our deepest dreams come true. As we take time to listen to that still small voice within, our faith in the goodness of God gives us that inner guidance so that the life we have dreamed of becomes the life that we are actually living. Today is the day that we can fully accept the gifts of the Spirit which have always been there. Today is the day that our dreams begin to manifest in our experience as, with God, we co-create a new and abundant life. With gratitude we accept that it is so.
And so it is!
By Catherine Carriere, RScP Emeritus
“…the putting on of the Christ.” December 6, 2009
We come into this existence with a precious gift—-the potential of what has been called, “the putting on of the Christ.” Ernest Holmes defines the Christ as: “The Word of God manifest in and through man.” In a literal sense, the Christ means the Entire Manifestation of God—-Christ is Universal Idea, and each one “puts on the Christ in the degree that he or she surrenders a limited sense of Life to the Divine Realization of wholeness and unity with Good, Spirit, God.”
Jesus said, “Know ye not that ye are gods?” We are born with the god-seed within us but we must become conscious of our own divinity if we are going to allow this wonderful gift to come into its full potential.
During this holiday season, let us take time each day to open ourselves fully to our own innate divinity, allowing it to shine forth into the world with all of its glory. Then we shall, indeed, put on the Christ, becoming the light of the world—-the light which overcomes all darkness.
By Catherine Carriere, RScP Emeritus
