Superior Index Go to the next: Chapter 52
Print Files: A4 Size.
To the Blessed Who Shall Inherit the Earth:
In the words "He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree"1 are to be found the reality of the law. In the promise "Draw nigh unto me, and I will draw nigh unto you" is the fulfillment of the love of the law. And in the observation "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble"2 is seen the wisdom of the law.
When we hear from the ascended level the pleas of men for the bringing in of the kingdom of God, for personal assistance and to increase the power of God in the life of the individual, we must of necessity answer according to the karmic record of the supplicant. And our answer must always take into account, precious ones, the karma of example that you have set before men, the manner in which your lives are lived.
Many are familiar with the Beatitudes of the law, with the scripts of beauty and positive affirmation, but they fail utterly to assess their own need to manifest the teachings they profess to love. There is a statement of my beloved disciple John in the Book of Revelation which goes in this wise: "Thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked."3 Herein is the predicament of the dual nature of man: the human person always feels rich and satisfied when his wants are being met, but he seldom gives his spiritual needs the priority that he gives to his human needs.
Therefore, in blindness men stop their spiritual progress without even realizing it; and they come naked before God, having little fruit of the Spirit to their credit. Now the consequence of this heaping upon their own heads of the bushel of neglect is a lack of genuine attainment and a false sense of plenty about mortal things, which is often very deceptive - an emptiness of the Spirit and a fullness of the world.
Because each soul is so precious to me, because I am so vitally concerned that each soul be tethered to spiritual reality which alone can bring the powers of freedom into the world of a man and direct him Godward, I am determined at this Christmas season to bring into focus for the students and for all mankind the meaning of individual destiny and of world destiny.
In Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, the character of Scrooge is shown as he hearkens to the voices of the world and then again as he hearkens to the voices of the spiritual hierarchy. But all are not so fortunate as he was to find that the door they have closed on spiritual opportunity is opened again. Many have closed the doorway for the last time in this embodiment upon an opportunity to pursue the spiritual path, for their own karma of neglect dictates that they must wait to be "born again" before they may enter the kingdom.4
Again I say, our love is very great for the soul of each man, but our love is not given for the gratification of temporal pleasures or for the mere building up of the human ego in its self-satisfying experiences. Rather, we desire with all of our being to lead men in the way that will prevent strife and struggle from occurring between peoples everywhere.
Jealousy, greed, and ignorance are the principal forces that prevent the manifestation of the angelic blessing "Peace on earth, good will to men"; and this is true of both the secular and the religious worlds. The motivations of envy and human avarice continue to be the directing mentors of man's unrighteous conduct; hence, my sheep are not fed the living Word because the moneychangers in the temple continue to make merchandise of them. This is why hierarchy has elected through this forum of the Pearls of Wisdom to release the vital and living truth, that all who gaze upon it may live.
Men say that they would have given anything to have been with the shepherds of old or with the three kings of the Orient when they gazed upon my infant form. Others say they would have loved to have heard me speak upon the Judean hillsides. Still others say they would have liked to have seen my miracles, my crucifixion, my resurrection, or - with even greater desire - my ascension.
How pitiful that men do not understand that I AM alive for evermore.5 Oh, they understand this with their ears but not with their hearts, for again and again they seem to be of the opinion that I am far away and not nigh at hand. Let me hasten to say, then, that the radiation of the Christ which I bear and the power of God which I wield today are greater than they ever were; and they are increased with the increase of God6 and by the spiritual momenta of the countless souls who, through the centuries, have served with me in rendering a magnificent service to humanity.
Therefore, the mature image of the universal Christ which I present to the world today is full of great saving grace than the image of the past. For the expansion of the Spirit is the forte of the ascended hosts and of every man who will understand that when he is rightly oriented, when he is pursuing the upward path, God who giveth the increase7 is steadily multiplying his spiritual powers and graces. That these may not be self-evident is not necessarily an indication that they are lacking in the individual; nevertheless, it is always proper that the students should examine themselves to see whether or not they are actually growing in grace.
However, the quality of grace is sometimes difficult for individuals to assess where they are personally concerned; for they have a tendency, living as they do within the confines of their own auras, not to observe that gradual expansion of soul which is nonphysical. By a like token, millions are unaware of their own iniquitous acts. They can see treachery, jealousy, hypocrisy, shadow, and darkness in others; but seldom do they recognize these traits in themselves. Often they apply our admonishments to others without realizing that they must first be applied to the self. And perhaps they should never be applied to others with any great degree of certainty, for fortunately humanity can change and sin can be forgiven.
As I prepared this Christmas message for the students and the world, I mused within myself upon the foregoing releases in the Pearls of Wisdom that have been given by the members of our Brotherhood. I thought also upon man's expectancy of the old familiar message of my birth, and I decided to transmit instead the radiant morsels of spiritual truth that are so needed by so many.
Iniquity and darkness are subtle and lurk often in high places. If each soul would therefore apply his heart to God with all earnestness and realize that his delight should be in the law of God (and not in the law that wars in his members, as beloved Paul said),8 he would avoid the discussion of endless psychic problems - problems involving the lower nature of man. If he would center his attention upon the laws of God, he would see clearly that the applying of his heart to the power of divine love would draw that love into his life. He would also understand that he need not be sympathetic to the animal magnetism that is of the earth earthy,9 whether in the crowd or in himself, and that he should desire that escape into purity which will result in his being clothed with a sense of the Virgin Son.
The purity of the Great Law functions in the inward parts of man, enhancing his meditations upon God through the reality of truth and holy wisdom. Lacking confidence in the operation of the law, men take it upon themselves to chastise one another. They forget that the Lord himself chastens those whom he loves.10
When the last present has been opened, the last Christmas card read, the last Christmas carol sung, men look forward to the bringing in of the new year and to the opportunities for celebration and merriment it will bring. The toys are soon broken and put away, the magnificent concepts are folded and carefully closeted, while the reality of my birth seldom dawns on the many save the few. Little do men realize that as a Son of God I am not concerned with personal glory or attention, but only with that directing glory which builds a vital link between the universal Christ and the Christos of the individual.
How deeply scarred are the pages of history by the infamy of human thought and feeling. Men do praiseworthy acts by the thousands, but these are seldom noticed. They commit one questionable error, and their entire career is placed in jeopardy. The fickle world soon forgets the magnificent service that is rendered by the chosen ones; for its judgments are crass and according to the mood of the moment, totally lacking in any understanding of the wholeness of being. The worldly give unto others the crumbs that fall from their table, and they keep the best gifts for themselves.
Yet, the Messianic message is one of hope and redemption to the world. Long ago the revelation of the Holy City was given to John who wrote: "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away." And he heard the voice of the Son of God saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men. ... for the former things are passed away. ... Behold, I make all things new."11
In this hope of a new world, I appeal to the men and women of all religions upon earth to live according to the principle of love and according to the higher teachings, to cease their condemnations of one another, to let go of the sense of struggle, and to shun cutthroat competition that breeds gossip and the hypocrisy of psychological tricks.
Learn to live honestly with thy God, and so shall you live honestly with your fellowmen. You will find that the reverse is also true. From the very beginning, all of the religions which have been sponsored by hierarchy have had as their central theme the ennoblement of man, the exaltation of his consciousness, the purification of the thoughts and motives of his world, and the final perfectionment of the individual as he is fitted for higher things in the many mansions of our Father. If it were not so I would have told you.12 But I have often told you, and you have often been told by life.
Now there are many in this day and age who, from childhood on, have developed a spirit of cynicism toward organized religion and even toward the idea of God. These souls are suspicious of everything and everyone connected with "religion," and they literally stew in the gall of their bitterness13 and their unawareness of the invisible world. Yet we come not to condemn any man but to assist all and to create the bond of "a new heaven and a new earth." This can never be unless the fruit of the Spirit is allowed to ripen in the life of the individual. Therefore, every true religion should seek to nourish and to expand the precious soul that must live for a time within the narrow room of self.
When there is constant bickering among the various factions of the so-called body of God upon earth, when men do not prune themselves of gossip and destructive releases of thought and feeling, when they seek human control of the lives of others through what is actually witchcraft, black magic, and psychological treachery - masquerading as innocence while imputing guilt to the innocent - they themselves will surely come to judgment; yet their judgment will not produce the miracle of the new heaven and the new earth.
We are concerned with this miracle of the new heaven and the new earth,14 and we know that it can be brought about only as the political and religious leaders of the world and their followers bring themselves joyously to the feet of that universal reality which will endorse the golden rule in day-to-day living. For I am convinced that much of that which feeds the cynicism of the world is the nonliving of truth by those who profess to practice it.
I urge, then, before this new year shall come, that all shall examine their consciences and that all shall determine that the sacrament they shall take this Christmas will be the sacrament of cosmic honesty. For it is only through communion with the cosmic honor flame that they shall come to know within themselves that the things which are done in secret will be shouted from the housetops15 and that the Lord will cause it to be done.
I think, then, that the doubts and fears that the negative force has spread among mankind, that have caused them to walk in darkness and to experience pain in their lives, will be cast aside by them. And I think that the vital flame of a living faith will be sought as the most priceless gift, and that the power of my love as it is reflected in the service of every ascended master will be desired as the masterful presence in the life of each one whose search is for reality.
For the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of our God and of the universal Christ.16 How could I fail to return in actuality to every town and hamlet, to every spot upon the planet where my precepts are honored and obeyed? How could I fail to be kept away from a world where my teachings are flaunted and deliberately disobeyed? To such a world I could come but as a thief in the night to take those souls that would respond at the appointed time to a place of refuge away from the density of the world and into the light of my Father's kingdom.
But because I continue to hold out he light of hope for all, I ask everyone who is willing to submit to the truth of my words - whatever your faith, whatever your desire, whatever your beliefs - to join me in a consummate endeavor to turn your backs upon the darkness of the ages that are passed - the ages of condemnation, of struggle, of fear based on ignorance - and to hold high the lamp of faith.
Be not afraid to be united with purity and truth within yourself or within others, no matter what the name of the organization may be; for "not in name or fame, but by my flame," saith the Lord, "will I witness to all that I AM. Not by name or fame," saith the Lord, "but by my flame will I reveal the secrets of the ages."
By the will to win, men will outwit the darkness lurking in the caves, in the darkened recesses of the outer self. Light will beam forth, and it will be the light of the Son of God.
I AM the light of the world.17
My light shines in every light,
In every focus that pierces the gloom;
But, above all, my light shines in the tomb
Of human matter and misery
To release it forever by the flame of resurrection
Into the world of higher dimension
To which man will ascend one day.
Hopefully all who pass this way,
In the world of form, will pass that way
In the world of spiritual victory.
For every man, for every woman,
For each of these I lift my flame:
I AM the Christ of the world,
Raising life unto its celestial goal.
Exhibiting faith, hope, and charity there,
Right where I AM.
I pledge my heart and head and hand to thee;
For I, whom ye call Jesus, am the Prince of Peace
Who came to every man
To free his soul from bondage and from shame,
To kindle in his heart the brilliance of my flame.
Illumination's ray to tutor inward parts,
Illumination's ray uniting human hearts
And strengthening bond of love's completion, then,
That makes each one to know
That I AM building now
A new world for you all.
To raise you from the Fall I came,
Will you hold your hand in mine
And pledge to me your name,
Your fame, your being, all?
For thus we shall restore the world
And raise it from the Fall.
Victoriously in this season, 1969, I remain your elder brother,