"Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace."
Buddha
In A Course In Miracles it is taught that what brings peace is forgiveness. Forgiveness comes when we forgive ourselves when we finally realize that our life is unmanageable because of all the insane things we have thought and done to ourselves and to others and with no where else to go and no one else to turn to in this world we finally surrender to our Higher Power, whatever we conceive our Higher Power to be. In Alcohol Anonymous this surrender is the first of twelve steps to getting our lives on a better track.
We also recall that Jesus, when asked how we should pray, gave us what became known as The Lord's Prayer which is in part "... Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
In Lesson 152 in A Course In Miracles we are taught that the decision between my will and the ego plane, and God's will on a spiritual level, is my own. Like the Nike slogan, "Just do it", I have coined the ACIM Lesson 152 as the "Make the decision" lesson. Make the decision to turn my will over to God, and let God take the lead in my life.
In my life I have to forgive myself for thinking that I foolishly thought I knew what was best for myself and for others, and now must humbly admit that I, my ego, was wrong. I really know nothing and get dumber every year as I get older and have more experience in life. When the men brought the adulterous woman to Jesus and asked if they should stone her to death He said "which ever one of you is without sin can cast the first stone." And it says in the story that they all walked away beginning with the eldest. We learn as we get older that our egos don't know what's best. We are wise when we ask for help and turn it over to our Higher Power.
And so I forgive myself my stupidity with a knowing laugh and I forgive others their trespasses against me. It is in this forgiveness of myself and others that I find peace.
So this Sunday as I reflect on the words of the Buddha and on the words of Jesus, I smile as I realize that one word does bring peace - forgiveness.
The Heart Of The Matter by Don Henley
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