Who is Jesus?

Who is the Christ?

by Jon Mundy
 

When we speak of Jesus are we talking about a historical figure that walked around on this planet for 33 years 2000 years ago? Yes. We are also talking about something more. To talk about Jesus is to talk about that which is timeless, beyond the world of birth and death. To speak of Jesus is to speak of the Christ, the Son of God, and the Self that God created. To speak of the Self is to speak of one's own true Self, which always has been and will.

As the Course is given to us by Jesus, there is very little mention of Jesus in the Course. The word Jesus appears only once in the entire text. It does appear 22 times, however, in the Clarification of Terms in the Teachers Manual.

The Course says Jesus was:

a man (who) saw the face of Christ

in all his brothers and sisters

and remembered God. -- C-5:2:1

What a “simple” definition and what a remarkable thing! Think what it would be like to look upon all our brothers and sisters and see nothing but the face of Christ shinning back our way.

The Course continues:

So he became identified with Christ,

a man no longer,

but at one with God. -- C-5.2:2

There is a cause and effect relationship — seeing the face of Christ in all his brothers and sisters, Jesus was identified with the Christ and was a man no longer but one with God.

What would it be like to see only the face of Christ, as Mother Theresa once said, "In all of it's distressing disguises" shining back our way in the face of our brothers and sisters? What we ask for — that is what we receive.

Who is Jesus? In the Clarification of Terms it asks,

-- C-6:1-4

This last line is blasphemous in traditional Christianity. It makes however, perfect sense. I teach a class on The History of Mysticism at Marist College. As one reads through the descriptions of the mystics, you can’t help but notice the “common” elements these "enlightened" beings share.

One important element in all the descriptions is that the mystics claim to be "free." Free of what? Freedom is always "from" something. Invariably, the mystics mean freedom from the tyranny of the ego.

A Course in Miracles asks us not to put Jesus on some altar and then bow down and worship him. It’s okay to do that just don’t get stuck there. It also asks us to see what Jesus saw and do what he did.

. . . those who accept me as a model are literally my disciples.

Disciples are followers, and if the model they follow has chosen to save them pain in all respects,

they are unwise not to follow him.

-- T- 6: I. 8:7-8

Jesus saw the false without accepting it as true. C-5, 2:5. The ego mind sees the false and says that it is true. Let's say that you are insulted in some way. The insult is not true. If you respond to it as though it is true, you make it real. You cannot then forgive or “overlook” it.

I challenge you this Christmas season to be willing -- (no, to be more than willing). I'm going to ask you to "determine" to make this Christmas real by letting Christ be born in you. Let's make a big move. Let's move all the way to the Vision of Christ. The Course says the Vision of Christ looks on all in light.

We talk of Peace at Christmas. What do you want more than anything else? Do you not want to be happy? Do you not want to be at Peace? To be at peace we have to give up all our attack thoughts. We have to give up the idea that we are victims of the world in any way at all.

At Christmas we celebrate the birth of a man who taught only love; who came into this world to bring only kindness; who taught the power of forgiveness.

At Christmas we are asked to come before God's altar -- to come before the manger of the baby Jesus and there lay down our hurts and pains, our little loves, our secret sins and our hidden hates, so that we might become aware of our true greatness. It is then we hear the angels sing.

-- ACIM, T- 21, VII. 9:1-3 & 7-9

The highlight of the Christmas play was to show the radiance of Jesus. An electrical light bulb was hidden in the manger. All the stage lights were to be turned off so that only the brightness shining forth from the manger could be seen.

At the appropriate time all lights went out! Silence was broken when one of the shepherds said in a loud stage whisper. "Hey, you turned off Jesus."

This Christmas “Don't turn off Jesus!” Look into the face of all your brothers and sisters and see the face of Christ shining back your way. Who is Jesus? Jesus is love. Christ is love. You are love.

Love at Christmas,