THE STORY:

There is a beautiful story in the Bible called the Prodigal Son. Perhaps we are familiar with it. Jesus tells the metaphorical tale or parable of a son who left his father’s home taking all of his inheritance with him, subsequently squandering it and then when reaching an all-time low, decided to come home and beg his father to become his servant. When he arrives home, however, the father doesn’t even say a word of condemnation for the son, but upon seeing him, runs and kisses him and welcomes him to the biggest welcoming home party ever.

THE MEANING

Jesus taught in parables and we digest his stories in that way. When I say the story is metaphorical it is because in the philosophy of Science of Mind and Spirit, it represents the “the reciprocal action between the Universal and the individual mind; that the Spirit/God/Father/Source is ready to turn to us whenever we turn to it. As soon as we turn within, we are immediately received into consciousness of oneness and love. We need no forgiving. We need give no explanation for our past. We are here in the present moment, bathed in Divine Love.

IT’S FATHER’S DAY – WHAT CONSCIOUSNESS DO WE BRING TO THIS DAY?

It’s Father’s Day and we come to this day with many feelings associated with this day. Some of us are fathers. We might believe ourselves to be good fathers, okay fathers or terrible fathers. Some of us have fathers that gave us or are giving us a wonderful childhood and some of us have tragic childhoods because of our fathers. Some of us knew our fathers. Some of us never knew our fathers. Fatherhood is an idea of many interpretations.

WE ARE AT CHOICE

I believe we are at choice in our experiences of this day. We can enjoy its commercial values of gifts and Father’s Day brunches. We can choose to ignore the day. We can also harbor in the feelings of resentment or guilt for our fathers or for ourselves as fathers. We get to choose. The story of the Prodigal son represents choice in that it tells the tale of two sons – one that stayed and home and the one that left for the father country – both states of consciousness.

MY CHOICE

This is what I choose today. I choose to celebrate fatherhood because I know it is what got me here. My father did his best to raise me. I recognize all the good and all what seemed not so good. I know it was all for my good on a higher level. However, what I truly celebrate is Spirit within that is the volition, the choice within me, the place where all ideas are born. It is God as me. It is my unlimited self, my oneness in Spirit.

I also celebrate the knowing that everything I have ever experienced or will ever experience is a reflection of the inner state of me. I know that I cannot say I am at peace or that I am love if I continue to hold onto things that separate me from this oneness: resentment for anything or anyone, blame for myself for my past, blame for the father or authoritative figures in my life that I might think somehow hurt me.

I bring the power of forgiveness to my celebration of Father’s Day. Not necessarily just for my earthly father, but for anytime I allowed my feelings of unworthiness keep me separated from the Love Force within me.

I understand that every experience, every person on my path, every act that I committed or was committed against me or for me is part of who I am. If I want to move forward in my life to greater acts and experience the unlimited power of the Universe, then I must bring myself present unconditioned by the past. I must turn to the absolute authority within and allow it to rule my house. I’m in charge and I get to, in this moment, forgive everything. In that forgiveness I receive the greatest gift of this day Father’s Day.

THE AWAKENING

As is written in the story of the Prodigal Son, the son finally came to himself, which represents the Awakening that many of us our feeling right now. We are coming to ourselves. Ernest Holmes, Founder of the Science of Mind and Spirit, calls it the inner witness who remembers that we came from a heavenly state. The Universe is not limited. It is abundant, lavish, extravagant. Nothing can be taken from it, nor added to It. And nothing can dislodge this inner and intuitive perception from our mentality. This is God in us knowing Itself. The Universe is perfect and complete. It gives. It is love. It is good and wills only good to all alike.

Self-condemnation and personal distrust, according to our philosophy is morbid and detrimental to our welfare; a theological state of introspective morbidity, which might be classed as one of our worst mental diseases. It should never be indulged in by anyone. If we have sinned, we have been ignorant of our true nature and because experience was necessary to bring us to ourselves.

Everything that ever happened to us has been for our Good. “But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. For this my son was dead and is alive again, he was lost and is found. They began to be merry.

This is a Universe of Love. It doesn’t condemn. It holds nothing against us. We have a loving Parent within each of us that moves us always in the direction of our good even when we pull in the opposite direction. It’s always for Good.

It is a decision to come home to the Father/Source within, free and unrestricted by the past, and it is a decision that can only be made in the now moment.  Whenever we decide to make this decision is never too late, and we are always welcomed by a loving Presence because it never left us.

Love and Aloha,

Rev. Rita