#rev-tony

Why are people sometimes vicious and even cruel? Even in ACIM circles this type of communication persists. One might think Course students would have a higher perspective, but experience has demonstrated otherwise. Actually the ego loves to come along for the spiritual ride and "righteous anger" has frequently been the purview of the egoicly, spiritual person. In the honor of having a "bottom-up" correction, and not a "top-gown" spiritual by-pass, let us look at the anger, and even the cruelty, in ourselves and in the ACIM community.

Jury Duty a unique challenge for the dedicated ACIM student. While it is our civic duty and most of us LOVE democracy, being asked to judge a fellow brother or sister as "guilty" or "not guilty" feels to be something one just should NOT be doing. "See no one, then, as guilty, and you will affirm the truth of guiltlessness unto yourself." (OrEd.Tx.13.16) Plus a guilty verdict means that a judge will now decide upon appropriate punishment makes things even more cut and dry. We just can't do it. This past Wednesday, I Rev. Tony, was again summons to jury duty. This time when I got my turn in the jury box to talk to the judge I felt it was indeed MY day in court to deliver a message to the judge, the various court officials, the defense attorney, the plaintiff, the prosecutor, the other potential jurors, and the entire assembled jury pool! I had their attention! -- Rev. Tony

This past Tuesday we had a milestone. It was a full 6 months, half a year, 26 weeks, of being under an emergency "Shelter-In-Place" order in the city and county of San Francisco. Our order started Tuesday March 17. Yet I felt something else happening. I felt the Pandemic healing on multiple fronts. More and more things are opening up. Gyms are now opened. Hair salons can now see customers inside. Professional sports is back. Our fine San Francisco Museums are scheduled to open next week. These are outer manifestations of what I am sensing intuitively with my connection to Holy Spirit. The fear is ratcheting down. "The only thing that is required for a healing is a lack of fear. The fearful are not healed and cannot heal." (OrEd.Tx.27.45) The pandemic is healing.

It's Labor Day weekend 2020. On the level of form the country can celebrate that unemployment has declined. On Friday the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced an August unemployment rate of 8.4. It was 14.7 in April. Many people still have their self worth tied up with their work, labor, or vocation. ACIM calls us all to a true vocation, healing our mind by restoring integration and oneness. Our vocation then involves extending this healing to others. "What better vocation could there be for any part of the Kingdom than to restore it to the perfect integration that can make it whole?" (OrEd.Tx.5.28) Join us Sunday to celebrate true vocation and a new vision for Labor Day.

Having recently returned for a wonderfully successful, and amazingly healing ACIM Conference, Change Your Mind, Change the World, in Las Vegas, NV, Rev. Tony has been thinking about the event and the profound transformation it produced. And like any profound transformation... a small percentage of people were challenged, confronted, and disturbed - especially because of Rev. Tony's presentation at the Conference finale. Jesus tells us in ACIM, "... an extreme example is a particularly helpful learning device." What was Rev. Tony's process leading up to his "extreme example," and how does he feel about this new controversy now that it is all over? Rev. Tony shares his process: before, during, and after the Conference and see if you might not be singing "Viva Las Vegas" by the time is done.

“NOTHING IS BEYOND OUR POWER TO HEAL Because There Is NOTHING BEYOND US!”
We intellectually know we have the POWER TO HEAL everything. Now is the time to make that intellectual knowledge our experience, our reality. It has been two years since I started the CMC’s Healing Team and I have learned so much. I have learned the first thing we need to do is ask. NOTHING WILL BE DENIED OUR SIMPLE REQUEST but that means we have to make the request. Many people want healing but are still afraid to ask for it. I am not afraid. I ask all of you to join me in fearlessness. Make your SIMPLE REQUEST now!

I have noticed that there is lots of fear mongering going on in our culture from all sides. "Monger" means "a person who promotes a specified activity, situation, or feeling, especially one that is undesirable or discreditable." We, as ACIM students, never want to fear monger. We want to spread words of: hope, peace, strength, and bliss! That's why I like the exclamation "WooHoo!!" It sums us all four of those traits. "Make no one fearful, for his guilt is yours." (OrEd.Tx.13.12) Obviously guilt and fear are the same thing. In these challenging times can we stop our guilt and fear mongering and move to "WooHoo"? That is our challenge.

In these interesting and challenging times many are guided to be outspoken about their societal and political views. Sometimes this outspokenness gets hardened into political views of Left versus Right with each side making the other side "bad" - maybe even "evil." Sometimes spiritual people avoid all such discussions in order to stay above the fray. However I think it is possible to stay in the conversation, have our strong views, without making the other side bad. We must remember that the left wing and the right wing still fly the same bird. "Whenever anyone can listen fairly to both sides of any issue, he will make the right decision." (OrEd.Tx.7.12)

When I change my mind to change the world, which world changes? There is an inner world where our true identity resides. There is the outer world of illusion and separation. Or is there? When ACIM tells us, "There is no world!" perhaps it means that the inner and the outer are actually the same and not different. Our ultimate release comes when we recognize, as ACIM tells us, "...the inner is the cause of the outer." How would you live your life if you truly understood that we are merely walking through our own minds as we function here in the world?" ***Note: There are some adult themes in this video. The opinions and statements of the speakers do not necessarily represent an official position of the Community Miracles Center.***

One of the most important questions Jesus asks us in ACIM is, "Why are you not rejoicing?" (OrEd.Tx.29.12) Well ... so ... WHY AREN'T we?!?! That was a big message for me this week. Time for some celebrating. Now that some restaurants in San Francisco are open with outdoor dining I have been going to them often to eat, finding new ones and eating at them, exploring new neighborhoods looking for new ones. What Fun!!! Next week I'm going on a 3 day / 2 night trip to Santa Cruz (a wonderful beach community 2 hours south of San Francisco) for a little "summer vacation." Restaurants and hotels are open there. Hey ... it's summer and I'm rejoicing. Why can I rejoice in the midst of a pandemic? Because as the above quotation continues, "You are free of pain and sickness, misery and loss, and all effects of hatred and attack. No more is pain your friend and guilt your god, and you should welcome the effects of love." (OrEd.Tx.29.12) I will, and AM welcoming those effects of love! "WooHoo!"

The ACIM teaching is much broader and far reaching then many students of it are ready to accept. However WE are ready - aren't we? Many Course students deny the body or try to ignore it and dissociate from it. Many Course students deny the world or try to ignore it and dissociate from it. Yet I don't believe this is really the ACIM teaching. Are students aware that ACIM tells us that the body becomes holy as we purify our minds? "... and the body becomes holy. Because it is holy it cannot be sick, nor can it die." (OrEd.Mn.12.5) Can we relate to this literally and not deny the teaching by saying this is a metaphor? Join me Sunday to raise the bar on our practice, application and manifestation.

What ACIM has taught me is that we came into this realm of manifestation because we made a promise to ourselves, we swore, to experience death and separation. The entire ego world plays out this promise everyday. However ACIM tells us we don't have to do that anymore. "Swear not to die, you holy Son of God! You make a bargain that you cannot keep. The Son of Life cannot be killed. He is immortal as his Father." (OrEd.Tx.29.39) ACIM acknowledges that we will see sickness and death, but it tells us not to give these images reality. Let's explore the Course's teaching about the final illusion.

Before the 9/11 terrorist attack when I was going on a travel/vacation friends would say, "Have a great trip!" After 9/11 that changed to "Have a safe trip." Overnight travel and vacationing became dangerous and unsafe. That was almost 19 years ago and it hasn't gotten "great" to travel again yet. Now with the new coronavirus pandemic many people say good-bye by saying, "Be safe." We are all supposed to accept that simple living itself is dangerous. I reject that. Don't curse me to a dangerous world by telling me to be "safe." "I am in danger nowhere in the world." (OrEd.WkBk.244) "Safe" has become the new 4 letter curse word.

ACIM tells us that open-mindedness will be the last and final characteristic that a Teacher-of-God develops. ACIM also tells us that open-mindedness is a central characteristic, which means it should be front and center in our energy and attitude. So ... how are we doing with that? The Course also tells us, "Whenever anyone can listen fairly to both sides of any issue, he will make the right decision." (OrEd.Tx.7.12) It takes open-mindedness to listen fairly to both sides of an issue. Again ... how are we doing with that? Our current pandemic situation is thrusting us right into the middle of strong and sometimes diametrically opposite opinion on many important issues. So, open-mindedness -- ready of not here we come!

The famous quotation "These are the times that try men's souls" was an opening statement by Founding Father, Thomas Paine dated Dec. 1776 in issue #1 of his pamphlet series, "The American Crisis." There is a crisis going on in America again, the crisis of a deadly virus outbreak, and also the crisis of eroding civil liberties and constitutional rights. But "crisis" is also "opportunity" and we can look upon this time as a national and global reset. It is a time to reassess values and take steps that the new "normal" (whatever that may be) will be a land with more compassion, more love, more oneness ... and more miracles.

Easter 2020 presents an unusual challenge. The gatherings of friends and family for Easter dinner ... not this year. The CMC has had a big Easter Sunday Pot-Luck Brunch for every year in recent memory. No brunch this year. Yet these are no reasons to put off resurrection which is called for ALL THE TIME! "Resurrection," of course, refers to the traditional overcoming of physical death by the historical Jesus. However the word also means " the revitalization or revival of something." How about a little Joyful revitalization. Get out your bunny ears and join me for some Easter JOY!

The dictionary defines "drastic" as: "likely to have a strong or far-reaching effect; radical and extreme." I don't think there would be any disagreement that the current situation with "stay-at-home" orders and "social distancing" is not be drastic. Last week when San Francisco's "stay-at-home" order went into effect I received this saying from Holy Spirit "Drastic Times Required Drastic Measures." My response was to get out my clergy shirt with clergy collar and kick my own interface with the world UP a notch in the direction of spiritual and religious demonstration. What is being asked of us Miracle Workers to demonstrate in this time of the coronavirus pandemic - both collectively and individually?