More on guilt

Sometimes I think I could step straight into Oneness if I weren't being held back by the guilt of my errors. One of the most ingenious devices that the church came up with was the concept of everlasting guilt.

But I believe that the concept of guilt is just that--a human-made concept, not of God ("guilt", by the way, should not be confused with "regret," which is merely the wish that one had acted differently). Where ever there is guilt, there is condemnation followed by either repentance or punishment. But why would a being such as God condemn anyone for making what, from Her omniscient vantage point, must seem to be nothing more than just a simple MISTAKE, and what purpose would punishment serve? As a lesson? Why bother with such a lesson when the consequences of our mistakes suffice quite nicely? Seeing the hand I played in my own failed projects/relationships/ambitions/undertakings is all the lesson I need. There is nothing more frustrating than to look at one's own part in one's own mess.

Today, I struggle with the concept of self-forgiveness. I know that until I see myself as forgiven, I will never become what I believe I am. I know that to ask God for forgiveness is unnecessary, because from Her it is given before it is even asked. If only I would give it unto myself, but I am still haunted by what I've done to others--or, better yet, what I PERCEIVE I have done to others.

Truth be told, I am suffering under the illusion that I have hurt someone detrimentally. That I, at the end of the day, am a thief and a liar. As long as I believe that this is what I am, I will never be forgiven. Not because I am not deserving of forgiveness, but because as long as this guilt lives in my heart, I will continue to be my own judge, jury and punisher. Each day I punish myself for my so-called crimes, though deep in my heart, I hear the ever soft voice of the Light, asking me to forgive myself.

It tells me that ultimately, what I see as "sin" is only a mistake. It tells me that punishment is meaningless because it serves no purpose but to inflict pain as a form of vengeance, which is equally meaningless.

The Light of forgiveness has no conditions. Nothing must be done to enter grace. There is no need for weeping apologies, or penance or "atonement." For the Light sees that the mistakes we made--that were based in fear--were, in reality, nothing more than calls for love.

True forgiveness is not handed out on the condition of repentence. It is the recognition that, because Love is all there is, no error really ever took place.

May this truth live in my heart, so that I may forgive others as well as myself.

"To err is human, to forgive is divine."