OrEd-T-19.5-Obstacles to Peace-c.2
c. The Third Obstacle.2
The Incorruptible Body
80. In opposition to life, innocence, and the Will of God, from the ego came sin, guilt, and death. Such opposition can lie only in the sick minds of the insane, dedicated to madness, set against the peace of Heaven. God did not create sin or death, and does not know of either sin or its results. The figures in the funeral procession are not marching in honor of God. They are opposing His Will, for God wills they live.
81. And what is this black-draped thing they would bury? It is the body, dedicated to death, a symbol of corruption, a sacrifice to sin for sin to feed upon, condemned by its maker, and lamented by every mourner who looks upon it as himself. We are arrogant to believe we have condemned the Son of God to this. Yet, we would release him, honoring the Will of his Creator. The arrogance of sin, the pride of guilt, the sepulcher of separation--are all part of our unrecognized dedication to death. The guilt laid on the body would kill it. The ego kills what it loves for its obedience, but what does not obey, the ego cannot kill.
82. We have another dedication which would keep the body incorruptible and perfect as long as it is useful for our holy purpose. The body no more dies than it can feel. It does nothing. Of itself, it is neither corruptible nor incorruptible. It is nothing. It is the result of a tiny mad idea of corruption, which can be corrected. For God has answered this insane idea with His own idea, the Answer which He extended, and which brings the awareness of the Creator to every mind which heard His Answer and accepted it.
83. Through our acceptance, we are dedicated to the incorruptible, and have been given the power to release from corruption. What better way to teach the fundamental principle in a course in miracles than by showing us the miracle which seems to be the hardest, can be accomplished first? The body can only serve my purpose. As I look upon it, so it will seem to be. If death were true, it
would be the complete, final disruption of communication. That is the ego's goal.
84. Fearing death, we do not see how often and how loudly we call to death to come and save us from communication. For death is seen as safety, savior from the light of truth, answer to God's Answer, silencing the Voice that speaks for God. However, death is not the end of conflict. Only God's Answer is the end of conflict. My attraction to death seems to be very great. All the ego's secrets, its strange devices for deception, its sick ideas and weird imaginings are hidden there. Death is the end of union, the ego triumphing over creation, the victory of lifelessness over Life Itself.
85. Killing the Son of God, the ego would lay Him under the edge of its distorted world, proof that God Himself is powerless against the ego's wish to kill, and unable to protect the life that He created. Brothers of Jesus, children of our Father, this is a dream of death. There are no funerals, dark altars, grim commandments nor rites of condemnation, to which the body leads us. We will not ask release of the body. But I will forgive the body for what I ordered it to do, and free it from the merciless and unrelenting orders that I laid upon it. I commanded it to die, believing death could conquer life. Only insanity could look upon the defeat of God and think it real.
86. Love's real attraction will overcome the fear of death. The end of sin, which lies quietly in our relationship, is very near. The infancy of salvation is guarded by love, protected from thoughts that would attack it, and made ready to fulfill the mighty purpose for which it was given us. Our newborn purpose is nursed by angels, cherished by the Holy Spirit, and protected by God himself. This purpose is our protection, for in purpose is the end of death.
87. No danger can harm the innocent. Nothing can attack the guiltless. No fear can disturb the peace of sinlessness. Even in its infancy, what has been given us is in full communication with God and us. Its hands hold out to us every miracle we will perform. The miracle of life is ageless. By our forgiveness of each other, we gave a resting-place to this infant, and see there the Will of God. Here the babe of Bethlehem is reborn. And everyone who gives him shelter will follow him to the Resurrection and the Life.
88. When anything seems to be a source of fear, when any situation brings terror, the ego has perceived it as a symbol of fear, sin and death. Then I remember that neither sign nor symbol should be confused with Source, for symbols stand for something other than themselves. Meaning cannot be in symbols, but can only be found in what they represent. And they may mean everything, or nothing, according to the truth or falsity of the idea they reflect. Confronted with uncertainty of meaning, I do not judge it. I remember the holy Presence of the One given to me to be the Source of judgment. I give it to Him to judge for me, and say:
89. 'Holy Spirit, take this from me, look upon it, judging it for me. I would not see it as a sign of sin and death, nor use it for destruction. Teach me how to let You use it to facilitate the coming of peace, and to not make of it an obstacle to peace.'
