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April-June, 2006

The Process of Forgiveness

by Rev. Lee Catalano

Forgiveness empties the mind of false beliefs by our willingness to let them go. False beliefs are the driving force behind ego thought. A thought cannot linger and take hold without there being an underlying belief.

Jesus refers to the “little willingness” to see things differently in the Course. The willingness is little in the beginning, because that is all he (Jesus) needs in order to get his foot in the door of our minds, metaphorically speaking. With the little willingness to see things differently we begin to have little episodes of peace. As we begin to identify peace with letting go, our willingness to let go increases to “great willingness.” That is why it is so vital to have the experience that he is pointing to in the Workbook lessons and the experience is peace.

He is not offering me a better life with more magnificent things. He is not promising to make me popular or able to influence my peers and coworkers, as these are all worldly things, false idols. Every single idol that is used to make me feel better about my ego-self is shakable. The peace of God that he is gently leading me to in A Course in Miracles is completely unshakable and cannot be touched by anything in this world, because it is not of this world and its source is beyond this world.

He refers to God’s peace as “the peace that passeth understanding.” Why does God’s peace passeth understanding? As I appear to be here in this world and also at the effects of the opinions and likes and dislikes of the world, there is really no apparent reason to have peace. It is a world that is highly variable and unstable, as is my ego’s sense of well-being. It is crucial to understand that there is truly no reason in this world to have peace. Lasting peace comes only from God and withdrawing belief in the world through forgiveness.

So let’s take a look at the process of forgiveness. One, I admit to myself I am not at peace. Two, I humbly state before Spirit that I am willing to see it differently. Three, I trust and allow the change to occur.

This is a very basic outline. This process is repeated on every page of the Course. It is in the daily lessons and, when we have eyes to see it, it appears in the Text as well. Then as forgiveness progresses, we begin to see and hear opportunities for a shift everywhere.

A friend in the Course community told me long ago, that the greatest gift to myself, was to see that I was wrong. So true. I was wrong about my identity. I was wrong about the idea that I was terribly unworthy and needed a place to project this unworthiness.

Guilt and unworthiness are the forces that drive my false beliefs. What else is there
truly to know and believe other than I am God’s radiant Child in whom He is well pleased?

© 2006, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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