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To My Friends Who Have Espoused the Spiritual Life -
There is so much in life you seem to just take for granted; and you are not alone in this, for in a sense all mankind, to a greater or lesser degree, may be found in this state of unawareness, few being altogether free from it.
With almost childlike simplicity, those who in other respects are wise about many things seem to accept much of God's visible creation without considering the magnificent design behind the physical form/appearance. Eventually, all who ponder the truths of the visible and invisible cosmos come to a conscious desire to study the works of God's hands in greater detail.
Now, some are quite naturally drawn to the study of Light and Truth from early childhood, and many of you in this class are among these. Some of you began along orthodox lines and perceived at one point, as we all have, the futility of being bound by roots of schism, a closed doctrine, or an uninspired ecclesiastical hierarchy.
Your hearts became convinced of the oneness of all Life and you began to seek the unity behind the diversity of religious thought. Your search for Truth took you far afield from your point of origin and you began the journey toward a greater understanding of God's laws. Some of you were buffeted about and, finding no solace or peace in the pursuit of material goals, turned toward the spiritual life as toward one last hope.
Whatever your beginnings or the bumpy road between then and now, it really matters not. The important fact is that you are here in harmony with the ascended ones. With blessed Saint Germain, you can declare, "I am here!" This is of paramount importance. For in so doing, you acknowledge the unity of the I AM Presence. And your desire to serve in expanding the Light and in spreading the message of the Father's kingdom among all people is made plain.
Now, let me assure you that the Father's arms are open to all, to receive every seeker and to assist each aspiring one in the process of raising himself into the arms of his own God Presence - the only divine reality and haven of safety above the storms and trials of mundane life.
To the present day, the help extended by the Ascended Masters to the people of earth continues to be of immeasurable value; yet it is not apparent to most men. Because we are graduates of life's schoolroom, well acquainted with its problems and their solution, and because the needs of earth are so very great, God uses many of us, your ascended brothers and sisters, as his hands and feet - his very heart extended as wisdom personified. Through our ascension we have attained a blessed oneness with Him. This we long to bestow upon each one of you as your own God Presence directs.
Remember: God, the Mighty I AM Presence, does know the day and the hour of your ascension in the Light. This knowledge the Presence retains in its own safekeeping. You may be closer to your victory than you think, for the sign is not always outwardly given or made known to others.
Beloved Jesus and I as World Teachers have undertaken this Corona Class by correspondence with an end in view - the multiplying of our own hands and feet. Is this not true correspondence in many ways?
You see, through faith you become our hands, our feet, our presence on earth. You correspond to us by outpicturing our consciousness before mankind. Do you see? Your own hearts become chalices into which we pour the fragrances of our spiritual graces, thereby enriching everyone with receptive mind and spirit so fortunate as to come in contact with you. Thus, seeing you, these can begin to believe that God dwells in human form. Oh, I do hope you see this! For it is the secret of the love that has always existed between Master and disciple. The accomplished goal of the Corona Class will therefore reveal what (and whose) divine radiance encompasses the faithful.
So many of earth's children, intrigued as they are by their study of God's laws, assume that by a magical or semi-magical process they will automatically be transformed into ascended beings or walking adepts. On this moot point many hirelings have gone forth to make a living by dispensing the gospel of a mere human brand of freedom - often not feeding the sheep of Christ the necessary spiritual food.1 However, in all fairness, let it be said that through sincerity and honor in the hearts of the students, much good has been accomplished despite the hypocrisy of these hired shepherds. And certainly you would agree that some service is often better than none at all.
Of course, each one is judged according to his own works;2 and if he does well, good shall come.3 The Law cannot be broken. Nevertheless, let it be made plain that we prefer the anointed teachers whose dedication has brought them to the feet of their own Holy Christ Self with hearts full of love and devotion and the humility to dispense our teaching with Ascended Master purposes held in mind.
Not for all the world would we take from anyone his blessed hope or uproot him unnecessarily, even from a false teacher, unless we could benefit him thereby; neither would we wish that any false hope should lull him into a slumber of false security where much valuable time and energy could be lost pursuing nonexistent goals. Hence, our keen sense of discrimination, which we are willing to transfer to you, should be sought.
We want nothing from you except an unselfed love, which you can give right now if you will. Think about this! We long to see you enjoy the selfsame beautiful freedom which we have.
When I was embodied as Francis of Assisi, I came to realize through studying the birds and animals that my power of concentration, saturated as it was with the love of God and his love in man, would draw me into an understanding of the God-intelligence acting in Nature which earlier I had so studiously ignored. Oftentimes more concerned with pleasure-seeking than religious fervor, I had not formerly been aware of the great love of God and the joy which that love could bring, far exceeding any outer source. Then, too, my prior contemplation of the realm of Nature had led me to think of heaven as a place apart from earth.
Imagine, if you can, the joy in my soul when I found that the lovely trees were endowed with spiritual beings, angelic overseers of great stature and beauty whose power guided the development of molecular form, pattern, luster of leaf, and inherent healing properties. I felt the radiant energy (life-force) reaching out from these silent sentinels capturing the heart - as did one majestic tree deva who inspired Joyce Kilmer to write his heartfelt poem "Trees."4 I also found to my amazement that the tiny furry creatures of the forest had a life-intelligence all their own, reflective of the Creator; and I saw how the life in them responded to the Life in me.
Oh, heaven was not apart from me! For I perceived all things visible to be but the hem of the garment of heaven. Touching just the physical hem, I was made whole!5 What would happen when I touched the whole robe? I longed to know.
Thus, in order to reach this transcendent goal, which I firmly believed was attainable - for I knew in my heart that God had ordained it - I set my mind to the path of spiritual illumination. Day by day, my mind was made holier still through contact with the spiritual realms. My one-pointed dedication to the Path and my contemplation of the holiness of all Life - and of the holiness of the God who had created all things to his delight, including man - were the keys to my assimilation of that holiness, which clearly seemed to permeate myself and everything around me.
Dear hearts, there is something foreign to reality in the idea of God being separate and apart from his creation. No mere doctrinal pantheism is the affirmation of God as the All-in-all, but a truth that cannot be refuted.
For, while it is true that the creation lies in God, it is also true that he is in his creation; but it is evident that his love, wisdom, and power cannot be contained therein. ("Behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?" said Solomon of old.6) Moreover, the fact that the God Presence, the individualized I AM, does far exceed the personal creation of the individual (and the macrocosmic creation as well) is proof of the dominion with which God has so lovingly endowed your Real Self, made in his image and likeness.7
As my soul expanded in the transfusing light which God poured into me, I was exalted time and again by his glory expressed through the Nature kingdom. The seemingly dumb creatures of field and forest came into unity with me through God's love, and then at last I, too, could speak their language, calling them "brother." How much more should all children of the Light love one another and have reverence for the smallest part of Life (God)!
Out of all these transcendental experiences, my soul was stirred with a great yearning to communicate to others the boundless wisdom vouchsafed to me by God. At this point in my spiritual awakening, I found that a literal wall of human resistance - denser and higher by far than any medieval castle - had gone up between me and my friends and the townspeople of Assisi. Most men I sought to reach could not understand my life, my aims, or my God-chosen ways - which to me were so self-evident, so plain to see, so logical! I became to them a poverello (one who voluntarily embraces Mother Poverty). It was then that I was abruptly cut off from family, friends, and funds.
Fortunately, among my friends were some so sincere and devout as to continue to pray for me. And God (whose ways are not always understood by men8) winked at me in answering their prayers his way - by taking me deeper into his own heart and embrace even while they assiduously called for my return to the beaten orthodox path! Thus, I did not suffer disillusionment by the loss of my friends, nor did I return to the vanities of the material world. But, drawing ever closer to God to become a divine poverello, I drew around me by kinship of spirit those of like mind and wisdom and from them fashioned my holy order of brothers Franciscan.
I have drawn briefly from my earthly experiences so that you will not be excessively concerned about those who seem disinterested or who may lack humility when you try to expound to them from your pure hearts the knowledge of God's laws. Remember that the Father tried long to reach you to give you all his love, and in due season took you from among the multitudes to draw you closer to his own heart and to his brotherhood of Light.
Spend your energy, then, as we did, in interior correction and self-instruction, paying special attention to our current precepts as manna for your souls - until, like a great organ of expansive timbre and pitch, you stand as the perfect instrument through which the Divine One may play those exquisite harmonies of healing light and comforting tone, revealing to all, through a more perfect example, the efficacy of heaven's grace.
As you lift up the Presence of God "I AM" in yourself, the Presence will draw all men to its greater Light.9 Bear in mind, as beloved Morya has said, that we are a forthright brotherhood; and do not become weary in well-doing!10
Jesus, who wept over Jerusalem,11 has long poured his love to the tired, the hungry, the poor, and the bound - yearning, as I do, but to refresh, feed, enrich, and free in the dignity of the Holy Spirit all souls who love Light. (We would equally free those who, because they do not know the Light, do not love the Light.)
And unto those men who love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil,12 we would bring Light and the love of Light and an example of righteousness - through you, each and every one who would teach unenlightened men the way.
Such is the ideal of the Great White Brotherhood. Such is the path of just men made perfect through the living image of Christ.13
To this calling the Spirit of the Brotherhood leads you, that by expanding your light you may answer the call of Christ to "Feed my sheep!"14
The salutation of the ascended Jesus Christ be with you, together with my own.
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[Taken from the book version, Corona Class Lessons.]