Wednesday, November 23, 2022
The Twenty-fourth Saying (Part 1)
“On the fortieth day following his return from the Emerald Isles, The Man sat in company with a gathering of Mariners and Companions of The Way in his study at the Rectory of the Abbey in the Sierra Nevada. On this day, he considered revealing the Twenty-Fourth Saying of Jamil, which he had kept to himself for a number of years since he had been inspired to write down the tenets given by The Child during his brief earthly sojourn.
“And The Man looked upon the disciples of The Way knowing that the changes taking place in the world were testimony to the heavenly influence of the manifesting Image and Word of God. The earth was being drawn into the future. The pangs of birth of the new were already evident: the old was dying. It was apparent to the Teacher and Disciple of the Holy Infant that humankind was witnessing the coming into being of a new and final religion, and that its doctrines had to be revealed and put into practice so it would not die aborning.
“When the devout followers had settled themselves before the speaker, The Man took in hand the document containing the words of The Child and, drawing the red ribbon girding it, began to read.
“And these are the words of the Twenty-Fourth Saying:
Not all world religions teach of the True God, as I have said. There are religions born of the human mind and the human urge to worship the powers that shape and nurture the earth. Fearing the forces of nature, humankind has given names to these powers and forces, worshiping them as gods, sacrificing to them, and attempting to calm them through appeasement.
Created in the image of nature and in the image of the world, the gods, by whatever name, are cruel and demanding, as are the religions that profess to worship them. Fear, judgement, law, injustice, punishment, terror, war, and calamity follow.
There is no enduring peace for either the faithful or the disbeliever. The innocent suffer, as do the workers of bad deeds. Vanity, passion and hatred, envy, lust, greed, pleasure-seeking, selfishness, desire, anger, jealousy, violence, and delusion dominate those who believe the world created Man and that nature controls him.
Man imitates nature, holding to life, wealth, and power for the strong and enslavement and sorrow for the weak. The human drama simulates the drama of nature. All things are transitory – life perishes, as does matter.
Man, ever seeking the knowledge of his pre-existent form, being, and self, penetrates into the deep roots of his psyche and there finds a forerunner to which he attributes creative powers. Not knowing that he has entered a world of terrible Darkness wherein is found his early origins, Man is confronted with incorporeal entities who become ephemeral gods of newborn religions. Malevolent spirits gain control over Man’s actions, and he surrenders to powers beyond his control. Because there can be no reward or lasting success by serving Evil, the adherents succumb to grief, pain, misery, and disillusion.
There is but One True God, just as there is but One Way to God taught by the One True Religion revealed by His Word. There cannot be different ways to God, nor different truths, nor different religions. The One Image of God is the Divine Presence. All other images are those of lesser things or lesser gods.
The world is ignorant of this Teaching. The world is unstable and confused. Instruction is the sole means of its salvation.
“And when he had completed his reading, The Man looked again at the devotees, awaiting their response.”
We will continue our review of the Twenty-fourth Saying of Jamil next week. In the meantime, for those of you in the United States, I wish you a very happy Thanksgiving with family and friends.
Again, if I may be of any personal service to you, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Very truly yours in Light+,
Gene
