Lesson 351
My sinless brother is my guide to peace.
My sinful brother is my guide to pain.
And which I choose to see I will behold.
“Who is my brother but Your holy Son? And if I see him sinful I proclaim myself as sinner, not a Son of God; alone and friendless in a fearful world. Yet this perception is a choice I make, and can relinquish. I can also see my brother sinless, as Your holy Son. And with this choice I see my sinlessness, my everlasting Comforter and Friend beside me, and my way secure and clear. Choose, then, for me, my Father, through Your Voice. For He alone gives judgment in Your Name” (ACIM Lesson 351 1:1-7).
You may wonder why the Course, in the section What I Am? would begin with a lesson about our brothers and sisters. A small voice may be whispering to you, “what do they have to do with what I AM?” They have everything to do with what you and what I am. They are the reflection that mirrors back to us our thoughts, letting us know if we are abiding in separation or union: pain or peace. To see our fellow angels for what they are is in return to see ourselves for who we are. As with most of our Course lessons, at times this is easier said than done. However, we are walking to a place within where this is becoming easier and easier, second nature, even.
Regardless of how suspect our fellow angels may pretend to be at any particular moment, that is all they are doing, “pretending.” In Spanish the word for, “pretend,” is actually an entire phrase, “Hacer un papel,” which translates to, “To make or do a role.” This term is used from actors on stage to kids pretending they are Transformers or Spiderman. I believe the translation in Spanish is a more accurate for what we do when we are “pretending” we are anything other than God; we are just “making or doing a role.” No harm done. We are just seeing what it is like to be God pretending not to be God. This sort of nonchalant and neutral attitude can serve us well when we desire to see our brothers and sisters as our guide to peace. We can see beyond the role they are doing at the time and see What they really are, which gives us a glimpse into Who we are.
Thus, it is absolutely perfect that we begin our walk in, What Am I? with a lesson such as this. When you see your fellow angels today, what do you wish to behold, peace? Then see the perfect peace in your fellow brothers and sisters and you will turn see it in yourself. Behold the magnificence that is You always in front of You. Namaste.
