II. Revelation, Time and Miracles, P 4
4 “No man cometh unto the Father but by me” does not mean that I am in any way separate or different from you except in time, and time does not really exist. The statement is more meaningful in terms of a vertical rather than a horizontal axis. You stand below me and I stand below God. In the process of “rising up,” I am higher because without me the distance between God and man would be too great for you to encompass. I bridge the distance as an elder brother to you on the one hand, and as a Son of God on the other. My devotion to my brothers has placed me in charge of the Sonship, which I render complete because I share it. This may appear to contradict the statement “I and my Father are one,” but there are two parts to the statement in recognition that the Father is greater.
Journal
This paragraph was very helpful to me in understanding the role Jesus plays in the Atonement. I have this picture in my mind. There is a mountain and Jesus is climbing it. He is reaching up and holding God’s hand with one of his. And he is reaching down and taking my hand in his and helping me up. It is a lovely symbol for me. If I were an artist I would paint it and put it on my wall. Well, in my mind I have done so.
Jesus wants us to know that we are the same. There is no difference between us except in time and as he says, time doesn’t really exist so there is no difference between us. But Jesus woke up first. He realized who he is and what is going on. He chose to be the way and the light to help us up that mountain. He is a present help when I falter or become confused. He is there with me when I work miracles, reassuring and encouraging me. As I am miracle ready, he works miracles through me for the Atonement. He is my comfort when I become discouraged.
The ego mind cannot understand this. It makes no sense that Jesus is with us in a very literal way. The ego only understands separation so it cannot understand how Jesus can be all things to all people, and all at the same time. But this is what Jesus wants us to know. We are all one. There is only one mind and we are that. The idea that we are separate is just an idea in our mind that we are remembering. Nothing is happening.
Because we are confused and believe something is happening, Jesus is helping us to awaken from the dream of separation. We are so deeply absorbed in this dream that we seem to be far away from our reality and need his help to get back to God. It seems that we cannot simply stop dreaming, but must back out slowly, undoing what we have done one step at a time, and Jesus is dedicated to helping us do just that through the Atonement. He is not absent to anyone at any time. He cannot be.
As Jesus awoke from the dream he realized that, “I and my Father are one.” It makes me cry to think of this. It is our goal, our purpose. All other goals fade into insignificance when I think of this. I can say the words, “I and my Father are one,” but to mean them, for them to be true to me, well, that is something else. And yet, it must be true because it is true of Jesus, and Jesus and I are one. I and my Father are one. This is an excellent mantra, a frequent reminder of the truth and a reminder of my one goal.
I and my father are one, and the Father is greater. This is another statement that the ego cannot understand. I accept that it is true, that we can be one and yet not be equal. Later in the Course we are told that we are like God in every way, but we did not create God, He created us. Creation goes in only one direction. This is something my little ego mind can grasp and so this is good enough for me right now. Perhaps when I awaken I will have a better understanding. Or perhaps I will appreciate the mystery and love that.