Guilt must be given up, and not concealed. Nor can this be done without some pain, and a glimpse of the merciful nature of this step may for some time be followed by a deep retreat into fear. For fear’s defenses are fearful in themselves, and when they are recognized they bring their fear with them. Yet what advantage has an illusion of escape ever brought a prisoner? His real escape from guilt can lie only in the recognition that the guilt has gone. And how can this be recognized as long as he hides it in another, and does not see it as his own [belief in guilt]? Fear of escape makes it difficult to welcome freedom, and to make a jailer of an enemy seems to be safety. How, then, can he be released without an insane fear for yourself? You have made of him your salvation and your escape from guilt. Your investment in this escape is heavy, and your fear of letting it go is strong.
Stand still an instant, now, and think what you have done [chose to believe you are separate from Love]. Do not forget that it is you who did it, and who can therefore let it go. Hold out your hand. This enemy [your brother] has come to bless you. Take his blessing, and feel how your heart is lifted and your fear released. Do not hold on to [guilt], nor [project it] onto him. He is a Son of God, along with you. He is no jailer, but a messenger of Christ. Be this to him, that you may see him thus [as Christ’s messenger]. (A Course in Miracles, S-1.III.4-5)
The ego is the belief in being separate from Love. Inherent with this belief is guilt for the perceived attack on Love. The pain of this guilt is intolerable. So the ego made a dream of separate images that could be used to project the guilt onto. This does not release the guilt. It only makes the cause appear to be outside of us. Yet the ego’s guilt is maintained by this scheme because it is impossible to perceive guilt without believing in guilt. This belief is driven into the unconscious, hiding it from our awareness.
Properly perceived, every brother we judge offers us a gift that will release us from guilt’s imprisonment. As we let the Holy Spirit help us see the truth in our brother, he becomes a messenger of Christ. Instead of reflecting guilt back to us through our judgment, this messenger of Christ reflects back to us the Christ that is the truth in us.
This practice replaces the ego’s purpose of the world to maintain guilt through projection with the Holy Spirit’s purpose to recognize the belief in guilt and let it go. As we let guilt go, we join in the oneness of Christ with our brother and together we are freed from the guilt that imprisoned us. This is our journey of awakening to Love.
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