The Journey Home
An important milestone for the student of A Course in Miracles is to achieve the holy instant. We are told that “The holy instant is a miniature of Heaven, sent you from Heaven.” T-17.IV.11
It “is a time in which you receive and give perfect communication. This means, however, that it is a time in which your mind is open, both to receive and give. It is the recognition that all minds are in communication.” T-15.IV.6
“In the holy instant God is remembered, and the language of communication with all your brothers is remembered with Him. For communication is remembered together, as is truth. …you will experience the full communication of ideas with ideas.” T-15.VI.7
It is interesting how much the Course stresses that “No one can enter Heaven by himself.” W-pI.134.17
Salvation and awakening is not an individual effort, but a group endeavor, and this also applies to the holy instant for it is the “recognition that all minds are in communication.” T-15.IV.6
The importance of this instant being shared is emphasized here: “One instant spent together with your brother restores the universe to both of you.” T-18.VII.5.
Then, even though we have experienced it we can backslide as noted here:
“For a time you may attempt to bring illusions into the holy instant, to hinder your full awareness of the complete difference, in all respects, between your experience of truth and illusion. Yet you will not attempt this long. In the holy instant the power of the Holy Spirit will prevail, because you joined Him. The illusions you bring with you will weaken the experience of Him for a while, and will prevent you from keeping the experience in your mind.” T-16.VII.6
Our illusions then will hinder our full awareness and “will prevent you from keeping the experience in your mind.”
Eventually, all of us will experience a fullness of the holy instant together but the journey is a long one taking millions of years:
“Just as the separation occurred over millions of years, the Last Judgment will extend over a similarly long period, and perhaps an even longer one.” T-2.VIII.2
Jesus sets the great example of one who includes not just himself, but all the sonship on the path back to our true home.
“We cannot sing redemption’s hymn alone. My task is not completed until I have lifted every voice with mine.” T-13.VII.17
Jesus then must continue to work in this world, for perhaps millions of years altogether until “every voice” is lifted with his for “As long as a single ‘slave’ remains to walk the earth, your release is not complete.” T-1.VII.3
No wonder it is written that “This course is a beginning, not an end. Your Friend goes with you. You are not alone.” W.ep.1
If students think they can take the course and in a short time graduate as an individual without their brothers and sisters then they are mistaken. Completing the Course and experiencing the holy instant is just the beginning of a long journey as far as time is concerned.
But the Course can shave off many thousands of years of time for we are told that “Each time you practice, awareness is brought a little nearer at least; sometimes a thousand years or more are saved.” W-pI.97.3
When we look around at the billions of Sons of God sleeping in this world we can indeed see that we have a great work before us, but:
“Everyone will answer the Call of the Holy Spirit, or the Sonship cannot be as One.” T-5.II.10
Since we are in time we certainly have our work to do to extend the awakening to all of humanity. But once the Sonship is again one and we leave time behind us and dwell in the eternal present then it will seem as if all this never happened.
Meanwhile, we can obtain a taste of heaven here in time through the sharing of the holy instant.
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