From
ReformJudaism.org -
Yom Kippur is the
moment in Jewish time when we dedicate our mind, body, and soul to
reconciliation with God, our fellow human beings, and ourselves. We
are commanded to turn to those whom we have wronged first,
acknowledging our sins and the pain we might have caused. At the
same time, we must be willing to forgive and to let go of certain
offenses and the feelings of resentment they provoked in us. On this
journey we are both seekers and givers of pardon. Only then can we
turn to God and ask for forgiveness: “And for all these, God
of forgiveness, forgive us, pardon us, and grant us atonement.”
Yom
Kippur is the holiest day of the year for those of the Jewish
faith. For many years I have felt that those who are not Jewish
have missed out on one of the most soul-satisfying observances of
religion. In fact, I don't know of any other religious
observance that is more spiritual than Yom Kippur; the Day of
Atonement. The very word atonement reveals the true meaning of
this observance ... at-one-ment ... at-one with G-d and at-one with
all the people we have come into contact with in the past year.
The truth of One-ness never escapes the spiritual mind only that which
has fallen short of realizing that there is only One; One Life, One
Spirit, One Intelligence, expressing through the mind of all living
things.
To forgive
means to "give-up" that is to give up that which troubles
the mind so that the mind is clear and open and receptive to the
Intelligence of the Spirit. I have known people who have carried
their resentments and bitterness towards others for years and have
never figured out that they have been bringing a misery into their own
life experience. Unforgiveness, like fear, is always
"caused" by thoughts of the past. Some might say
"we don't live in the past" yet if that is where are
thoughts are, that is where we are living.
The
American Mystic Ernest Holmes gives us some excellent wisdom in
regards to forgiveness intermingling his thoughts with the words of
the Master Mind Jesus: "... Jesus clearly explains the
meaning of "divine forgiveness." He says that we
should forgive until seventy times seven. This is but another
way of saying that forgiveness is eternal and ever available.
What a load is dropped from the shoulders of personal responsibility,
when we realize that the Eternal Mind holds naught against
anyone! But, to those who feel that this is unfair, it will be a
hard saying. "What," says one, "are not my
virtues to be rewarded above those who have none?" O,
foolish one and blind, what do you know about virtue? Has your
life always been beyond reproach? Have you never fallen short of
the divine calling? Who are you to point the finger of scorn at
your others? The one who feels self-righteousness rise from
their petty virtues, lives a life of self-delusion."
As we
realize that forgive means to "give-up" one might think of
what is it that we give up? We give up the obstructions, the
blocks and the darkness in our mind that prevents us from experiencing
the fullness of joy and peace and happiness and love. It is like
we have a blind spot in our mind that never allows us to fully become
aware of the good that is available to us. To say what we think
of others is truly what we think of ourselves is a mental stretch, but
we must have at least a fragment of what we hold against someone else
in our mind or otherwise we would lose the awareness of it. We
can only know that which is within our own soul (consciousness).
And so we realize that the most important person to forgive is first
and always, ourselves. To realize the genuine joy of life our
mind must always be clear of any negativity so that the true nature of
our soul can realize the freedom to be fully expressed in the nature
of the Divine; joy, peace, happiness, harmony, love, intelligence and
power.
A
simple quote containing profound truth is "to err is human to
forgive divine" ... and this is the truth for everyone.
AND
SO IT IS!
Keep
the
faith!
Rev.
Henry Bates
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