Great Morning Beloved!!!

Palm Sunday the Unity Way

You know we at Unity could look at Palm Sunday in a more traditional way, but that’s not like us, is it? So, we will look at the myth, because it is not noted in any history, only in religious texts.

What Palm Sunday does is provide a day for spiritual contemplation that shouldn’t be missed. Just as the Easter story symbolizes the deaths and resurrections of our lives, Palm Sunday reflects the human story too. It presents a few Lessons for us. One is about facing fear.

Let’s set the stage leading to Palm Sunday. The Passover Observance is coming, there is tension in the city because the Political and Spiritual leaders were fearful of Jesus. They didn’t understand what his purpose was and so they looked at how he was testing their laws and customs.

They chased him out of the city prior to Sunday.

Just an example of what fear can do to people.

And He had been warned not to go back, his disciples were worried. Anyone could guess there would be trouble.

As the Gospel of Luke says, “His face was set toward Jerusalem” (Luke 9:53). Jesus wouldn’t be dissuaded. He knew his purpose.

Have you ever felt called to move boldly forward knowing the odds were against you? Even if your heart was pounding, you took a step in the direction you knew would fulfill your purpose?

I believe taking the steps to move to Delaware and see if we could start a Unity presence here was a major step. I don’t know if I would call it fear, but probably an emotion related to fear for sure…insecurity, my introvert personality certainly had some things to say.

But we faced our fears and questions and here we are!

How about you? Are you facing such fears now?

Think about that for a moment…. what happened when you moved forward? Did you accomplish or at least start what your vision told you?

Did you look to someone outside yourself for approval? Sure, we do that.

Whose approval is important to you? Family, friends, coworkers?

Can disapproval throw you off balance? What about your own approval?
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Whose approval did Jesus have. His own, and God’s, I would think.

Jesus was true to himself and his mission on planet Earth. He kept on being Jesus, teaching what he taught, attracting crowds, performing miracles, letting the chips fall where they may.

And that is our job, to stay on purpose, to be true to our TRUE self, to face the fear, and carry forth the mission whatever it is, to keep doing what we’re here to do regardless of others’ approval. One day, you will notice you have emerged into a new life. I sure have!!!

And you will find yourself surrounded by like-minded people supporting you.

So, let’s look at some metaphysics and see where they might fit in our life. Imagine these ideas…

Jerusalem symbolizes a vision of peace within us.
For us, Jerusalem is the abiding consciousness of spiritual peace.

Jesus symbolizes our I AM identity. His going up to Jerusalem means our taking the last step in unfoldment in preparation to the final step, when the personality is entirely crucified and the Christ triumphs.

Notice, it’s UP TO JERUSALEM…going up means what? Going to higher consciousness…

Jesus riding the colt into Jerusalem means the spiritual I AM within us takes control and lifts all the animal forces up to the spiritual plane of mastery, purity, and peace. Those animal forces or thoughts are to be mastered and controlled and made to serve.

Think about what its been like for you as you have let negative thoughts and words go from your mind and how freeing that is?

The hosannas of the rejoicing multitude and the spreading of their garments and branches of trees before Jesus, represent joyful obedience and homage that all the thoughts in one’s consciousness give when an error state of mind is overcome.

At some time, most of us have been part of a crowd that welcomed a great hero, paid tribute to a notable public figure, or cheered a championship team. Go Eagles!

Remembering the eager acclaim and enthusiasm that marked such an occasion, we have a vague idea of the spirit in which Jesus was welcomed into Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday.

Certainly, Jesus’ life and teachings do show the way to freedom and happiness and prosperity. But Jesus had no intention of becoming an earthly king; and most of the people were not yet capable of understanding the spiritual kingdom in which the Christ is ruler.

So, he enters the Temple. And gets mad! And smashes the tables and sends money and sacrificial animals flying. Making more trouble for himself…almost like he did things on purpose.

What does the “temple of God” represent, and what is indicated by Jesus’ casting out “them that sold and bought in the temple”? The temple is our body and the desires, fears, and other negative emotions that act as destructive forces in the body or that put it to unworthy uses are, they that sell and buy. With His word Jesus cast out these negations. The Power of our words….

“My house shall be called a house of prayer.” Why do you think the pronoun “my” is used here? Through the right use of our I AM we take conscious possession of the body and cast out all that is unworthy of a son of God.
Have YOU taken possession of your thoughts and body?

A prayerful attitude saves the body from becoming a “den of robbers by awaking it to the Christ consciousness.
“The washing of the disciples’ feet by Jesus typifies a cleansing process, or a denial of personality and materiality. ”

By the simple act of washing the apostles’ feet, Jesus made it clear that he who is greatest is the one who serves best.

“In this humble way Jesus taught and exemplified the willingness of divine love to serve….”

Jesus explained the lesson he wanted to convey: If he could disregard worldly rank and offer them a menial service, surely, they too should be willing to give themselves in loving service to one another and to mankind.

How many times have we promised our higher self: “I won’t criticize again? I’ll try to be understanding … I’m through with bigotry and prejudice. I’ll show brotherly love … I won’t give way to panic next time. I’ll keep calm and strong by keeping faith … I won’t be depressed by thoughts of fear and pessimism. I’ll keep a positive mental attitude and depend on God’s love and power.”

Have these been empty promises? We can do better! We can keep these promises and more.

Whenever possible, Jesus taught by example.

He did not merely tell people about God’s power. He performed miracles of healing.

He not only talked about humility and service. He washed the apostles’ feet.

He did not boast about eternal life. He proved it through His own resurrection.

Jesus was a practical idealist who understood Truth principles and applied them to change people’s lives.

He followed up His promises with action; and we can follow Him by keeping our promises to our higher self.

All the Truth we can ever hear about or read about or know intellectually will help us only to the extent that we use it. Every single Truth idea that we put into practice in any area of living will strengthen and help us for further application.

When we apply Truth in a practical way, we make it our own, and benefits accrue.

So, he faces Pilate who represents the will, the executive power of the mind. Pilate has no spiritual understanding; therefore, his will cannot act wisely.

When Pilate delivered Jesus to be crucified, he washed his hands and said, “I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man; see ye to it. We cannot escape responsibility for our errors merely by attempting to avoid accepting and acknowledging the authority of Truth.

Reminds me of ‘we are not punished for our sins but by them….’

The “chief priests and the elders symbolize the religious thoughts that follow strictly the forms and ceremonies of religion, but do not recognize that the authority of Spirit that underlies them is greater than the outward forms and ceremonies.

This is like going through the motions without any work or thought behind them.

Where do we see this in our life? Someone following the rules but not the spirit of the situation.

Our self -discovery, our self-knowledge helps everyone move forward.

What happens when the will endeavors to assert its authority over Truth? It may and sometimes does succeed in postponing for a time the full unfoldment of Truth in the consciousness (deliver Jesus to be crucified), but Truth is omnipotent and the I AM eventually realizing full power and dominion over our being.

Why did the multitude choose to have Barabbas released instead of Jesus? The multitude here represents those who are wedded to external forms of religion. They resent new presentations of Truth that revolutionize their creeds and dogmas.

That’s interesting…many traditional religions stick to the dogmas whether they make any sense any more or not. And sometimes it’s “because we’ve always done it this way….”

So, from a metaphysical interpretation, the Palm Sunday experience represents our conscious surrender to our innate divinity. It reawakens our childlike faith. It is a stirring of our entire consciousness, the “city in turmoil” with the suspicion that something amazing is at work, even when we do not yet understand what is occurring.

This ‘deep work in consciousness intensifies throughout the experience and culminates in a process of crossing out of old ideas and great transformation. Unity calls this purification process “chemicalization”

Our old tapes, worn out beliefs, and negative programming are sacrificed so that we may rise into a higher expression of Christ consciousness.

SO, Today let’s honor of the Christ Spirit that ruled in Jesus and should rule now in all our minds and hearts.
How do we honor the Christ?

When we remember that we are spiritual beings, children of God, capable of developing and expressing all the qualities of the Father.

When we control our thoughts, desires, words, and emotions, keeping them always constructive.

When we strive toward any high goal, confident that God works through us for attainment.

When we see the Christ potential in others, and praise and encourage their commendable traits and efforts.

When we refuse to accept disease or affliction and know that God manifests through us as life and health.

When we think in terms of “you” and “we,” more often than in terms of “I, me, and mine.”

When we overcome fear with faith, hatred with love, ignorance with God-directed wisdom.

When we master unworthy desires and lowly impulses and discipline ourselves to think and act wisely.

When we live each day in a spirit of love, forgiveness, and generosity.

When we pray regularly for the light of understanding, and let that light radiate through all our affairs to bless our world.

When we have faith in the goodness of God, faith in ourselves, and faith in our fellow men.

You have a chance to make it a holy week in your life. Let us open our hearts and minds to the Spirit of Christ during the coming week. Let us go about the affairs of our lives in a quiet spirit, let us give more time than usual to prayer during this week. Let us practice being still; let us practice the presence of God.