12.01.24 "The Holiday Season / The 'Holy-Day' Season"

With the Thanksgiving Day holiday last week we now are officially in the holiday season. It should be obvious that the word “holiday” comes from “holy-day.” While the term has broadened now, it has its foundation in special religious days that were remembered and celebrated to bring important spiritual principals more firmly into the broader culture at large.

Thanksgiving certainly has a focus on gratitude and abundance. These are two of my favorite ideas and they both are strongly supported in ACIM. "And gratitude to God becomes the way in which He is remembered, for love cannot be far behind a grateful heart and thankful mind. God enters easily, for these are the true conditions for your coming home." (OrEd.Mn.23.4) Apparently it is gratitude itself the brings us the God awareness of dwelling in constant love. Gee … I thought it was meditation that did that! (Just kidding.) How about abundance? "Give therefore of your abundance and teach your brothers theirs. Do not share their delusions of scarcity, or you will perceive yourself as lacking." (OrEd.Tx.7.77) I certainly do not want to perceive myself as lacking so I affirm and communicate abundance every chance I can.

Christmas celebrates the birth of God’s Holy Child into this world. While most Christians will believe this to mean Jesus himself, ACIM broadens this to mean all of us when we start to assume our own Christ identity. "Is [Jesus] the Christ? O yes, along with you." (FIP.Cl.5.5) This doesn’t exclude Jesus – but so much more is added. We are added.

New Year's has become a time of rededication to our divine purpose. ACIM tells us this about the holiday. "So will the year begin in joy and freedom. There is much to do, and we have been long delayed." (OrEd.Tx.15.112) With all the joy and freedom felt throughout the holy day season we lay the foundation for a strong rededication to purpose. So much to do. So many to heal, including ourselves. We emerge from the holy days more firmly grounded in our divine identity as God’s Holy Child. What could the Christ not accomplish? Nothing!

So we progress through the holy days by first affirming abundance and gratitude (Thanksgiving) which causes us to remember God and love. With the remembrance of God we are brought to the awareness that God’s Holy Child is now walking the earth (Christmas) and that Holy Child is us! With this connection to our true selves, we recognize all there still is for us to accomplish, and we optimistically embrace our life's mission (New Year’s). WooHoo!! Happy Holy Days here we come!

33 min.
SUBSCRIBE & SHARE