Message from Las Vegas

It's been some time since my last entry; so first of all my apologies.

The reason for my absence is a common one: too busy with work!!! Finally I've come to a break in my project to reflect on how we get overwhelmed by the world. And of course I mean the outer world rather that our inner world which we seek to develop.

This has been heightened for me as I write this from Las Vegas. After three weeks in what can only be described as a 'mad house' of illusion and vanity, I really do wonder if the human race is ready for the teachings of Jesus through Thomas.

There are many evangelical churches in the city and I believe, the largest Salvation Army Church in the country, if not the world. All the efforts by the various churches seem to me to be about comforting the 'fallen'; those individuals who are addicted to the gambling or other excesses.

They are also dealing with the catastrophic impact of the financial meltdown which has hit Vegas very hard. Most of all construction work on new casinos, hotels, malls has stopped --- some will say that's a good thing! On my daily journey between work and studio, I think at last 30% of businesses have closed. Every row of shops and offices have 'to let' or 'for sale' signs. There must be some very desperate workers out there.

The churches comfort the needy. But I wonder if they are also comforting their souls.

When Jesus talks about the Kingdom, he was addressing people in a similar condition as today; in trouble, needy, seeking help, wanting security. Do the churches feed these souls today, or are the focussed on the world.

Some may say that you need to respond with the current situation. I agree, but should it be the churches?; should they not preach their message without being overwhelmed by servicing the needy?; who can remind them of their mission?

The Kingdom is certainly not in Vegas, although from the look of passers-by one would think it was!

Random Acts of Kindness

Once again the above catchphrase is doing the rounds. I seem to remember the phrase being uttered a good few year ago and there may have even been a book on the subject.

Only at the weekend Random Acts of Kindness was 'pushed' at us as an alternative to giving up chocolate for Lent. We were encouraged to help others than indulge in our own 'suffering' by resisting a luxury. The implication of course, was that we can stop it after Lent!!!

Wait a minute --- Random, Kindness???

Surely Jesus' teaching is about acting in a kinder manner to ALL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME.

Nothing about randomness. Nothing about set periods. Nothing about selfishness.

Hope & Faith for the Credit Crunch?

It’s a difficult time for many during this financial crisis. For some the situation is so dreadful with serious consequences for their future that they look for comfort and help. This comfort is usually offered as “hope and faith” by religious folk for dealing with this situation.

Yet hope can be a obstacle or barrier. It implies reliance on some external event, or organization, or divine being, to intervene on their behalf. Such hopeful people become passive, at the mercy of events; their ‘house is built on sand’.

The ultimate hope is that at our eventual passing from this world we will enter the Kingdom of God; happy and at peace. Churches preach this topic—and its ‘sister’ faith—to encourage stoicism and endurance during all suffering. We are encouraged to cling to this hope in the future and so neglect the present.

Yet Jesus makes this clear in logion 113:

His disciples said to him:
On which day will the Kingdom come?
Jesus said: It will not come by expectation,
They will not say:
“Behold, it is here!”
or “Behold, there!”
But the Kingdom of the Father is spread out over the earth and men do not see it.

Focus your energies and capabilities on the present moment. It is in this moment that we all can take action without relying on hope and faith.

Truth in a Simple Package

One of the key teachings by Jesus is to use our discrimination: sorting the wheat from the chaff, recognizing good from bad, etc. In other words keeping our antennas tuned to everything around us.

This happened recently to me while watching a film. There was a statement made by an actor in the context of figuring-out a crime; it roughly went:

“The truth generally comes in a simple package. The more complicated we make it then the less we should believe it”.

I don’t remember what happened next in the film as my mind locked onto that statement; struck by the profoundness of its meaning. Logia from Thomas filled my mind as I remembered how Jesus was forever pressing his listeners especially his disciples, to strip away the outward forms, the complications, and uncover the Truth.

Here’s one of the great examples.

In Logion # 6 the disciples question Jesus about the various observances of their religion: fasting, praying, alms giving, and diet. Jesus appears to ignore the questions, and answers:

Do not lie,
and do not do what you dislike,
for all things are revealed before the heaven.

But in Logion #14 Jesus does respond directly to their questions (remember, Thomas was dictating this not writing a Gospel!) indicating that they will harm their spirits by such observances. He further says:

Eat what they set before you,
heal the sick among them.
For what goes into your mouth
will not defile you,
but what comes out of your mouth,
that is what will defile you.

The Truth generally comes in a simple package: be aware of everything you say as lies and deceits as well as harmful actions, destroy your spirit and your peace. Anything more complicated than this can be ignored.

Open the Box!

We all have a tendency to place things in mental boxes. Men in particular are very good at this - business, pleasure, family, hobbies, etc. Whereas women tend to have few barriers between these boxes. This is often the source of many conflicts in relationships: women see the inter-connectivity between these boxes, where men just don't!

Religion often lies in one of these boxes; to be opened occasionally, usually on a Sunday or other day of worship. Then back into the box until the next time. Are you guilty of this? Do you let the Presence fade when you step back into the 'world'??

Jesus's message in 'Thomas' was that this Life was to be lived here and now and at all times. It was not to be a box-on-the-side, but a dynamic centre from which everything was viewed and evaluated. The old-time Bible prophets used similar analogy: the Rock -- a foundation upon which everything was built.

Remove these barriers, open the boxes, let the Light shine into their dark corners, and see the transformation in your whole approach to everyday living.

The Calf Path

There is a poem called the Calf Path which tells the story of a young calf wandering through the woods and how over the centuries his crooked path became a city’s crowded thoroughfare. Every day people and traffic grind their way around the twisted route first created by this calf!

Poet Sam Walter Foss gives this insight:

For thus such reverence is lent
to well established precedent.
For men are prone to go it blind
along the calf paths of the mind,
and work away from sun to sun
to do what other men have done.

I like the Calf Path. In listening or reading I’m often reminded of this warning about ‘blindly’ accepting words and thoughts of others; to use my own discrimination on whether these words hold Truth and if the do, what they may mean to me.

This principle must also hold true for you at this moment; reflect on what you’ve just read and spend time to understand the validity of your beliefs and knowledge.

As Jesus says in ‘Thomas’ “... then you will change your knowing” Logia 28:13

Becoming Ourselves

In spiritual discussions we often hear the phrases “being led by love” or “responding with love”. Jesus was known for his love of his disciples, and we learn of the how the early Christian communities were bound by love.

This is not the same word ‘love’ that is used all too frequently in everyday life. The Love expressed in this spiritual context is the ability to reach out to another person in order to help them grow. To grow spiritually and emotionally. And this reaching out applies to ourselves as well as to others.

To achieve this form of Love we need to forgive.

In our daily prayers, we may say: “forgive us our sins, as we forgive them that sin against us”

Notice that forgiving ourselves come first!!! So we always need to be very aware to:

• Forgive Ourselves,
• Love Ourselves,
• Become Ourselves (Thomas Logion #42)