[tmtranscripts] 12-21-96.PGH "Christ is Born"

[Gerdean]

DATE: December 21, 1996
LOCATION: Pittsburgh, PA, USA
T/R: Gerdean O'Dell 

Textual Study
The Urantia Book: Foreword; 
Paper 1, The Universal Father

TEACHER SESSION
Christ is Born

TOMAS: Good afternoon, my friends. I observe as you up-reach for contact with the spirit, we down-reach to make contact with your mortal consciousness, that in your mindal realms we may find understanding, that in your heart you may know we love you, and that in your soul you may aspire toward infinite perfection and contentment with your finite perfection reality.

Merry Christmas, my friends. Your festive occasion is in the spirit of children who receive gifts from the Jolly One Himself, and who give gifts of yourself to each other. I am very pleased with your gift to me, this charming plaque* which I may "hang on my wall" testifying to your appreciation of me, and I turn around and give it right back to you, for without you I would have no classroom, no students, and no honor and privilege of performing this capacity as your friend, your guide, your companion and your teacher, and so thank you for your acknowledgement.

As is usually the case, I have not advised Gerdean of my topic for you today and so she is in the dark, clueless as to what may come wafting through her mind, but bear with me and with her, for I know that your reflections of your own spirit lives will reflect to me what I may discuss for you, for as you know, it is my intent to serve and to reach you where you are in your growth.

Nuances aside, it is, of course, understood in your culture that you are all aware of the holiday wherein Christ's birth is celebrated. I would like for us today, in keeping with our festivity, to ponder in your mind the meaning of his birth upon Urantia and reflect what that means to you, in light of your understanding of your natal sphere, Urantia, a planet darkened by default and rebellion.

What do you surmise has your Urantia been privy to and subject to as a result of Michael's seventh and final bestowal here? For surely you must realize that he understood the deficiencies of this world before he arrived. Do you suppose he had any idea, before he came, what he would encounter experientially? Do you suspect he knew he would die a brutal death? Or do you think that he may have thought that he would live a somewhat normal life and leave by natural circumstances?

Do you ever wonder about the decisions he made in his day and age, in his defying the traditional authority of his revered teachers and of his beloved and devoted parents? Where do you suppose this lad derived his courage? How do you suppose he was so guileless in his relations with his friends and family that he became so cherished among them? Have you considered the decision he made to allow himself to remain without defense against aggressors? Have you compared your life with his and reflected on the integrity of this boy, this man, who walked upon Urantia?

His life exemplifies the living mandate to be perfect in our realm as the Father is perfect in His realm, and in this you may compare yourself to Jesus. You may aspire even toward perfection in your life, but it is not done through naivete. It is born of a deep yearning to know God, to do His will ~ constantly.

In your culture, prior to Christmas, suddenly children become good. They do their chores without being asked. They go to bed without a fuss. They keep their bickering quiet among themselves so as not to disturb the parents. They are helpful in the kitchen, in baking cookies and cleaning up after dinner, for they are aware that in due course they will be rewarded as good little boys and girls with gifts and sugarplums.

You children also anticipate and experience the gifts and sugarplums of the arrival, the birth of Jesus on Urantia. You have also the gift of The Urantia Book, which upholds and clarifies and resonates the truth of Michael's life here, clarifying his death. Ponder, then, his life; his perfect matchless devotion to the highest ideals; his loyalty to his ever-increasing awareness of the Father in heaven; his increasing trust and faith in the Divine Upholder; his consecration of will. "It is my will that your will be done." It is our will that His will be done. 

And so the present this year, my flock, is a reminder of the realization that we have each other as lit candles in the darkness, that we share with each other those gifts of truth, beauty and goodness which even Michael shares with us. And give to Him in Paradise that gift of devotion as fair recompense for the greatest gift, the gift of Life, to be born and to be born again.

How are you, dear friends? 

Group: Fine.

TOMAS: I commend you. It is my hope that as you experience the substance of my lessons -- not so much the words but the comprehension -- that you take these into yourself as food for reflection, not in the intellect, but in the deep mind, where the mind and spirit converge, to feed the soul, to nurture your growth, that you may become more vibrant spirit beings and more effective human beings.

Reflection is a Christmas gift. Enjoy it well. Angels are heralding the Christ. Trust me on that one. Are there questions?

Loreenia: Yes, Tomas. There was a transmission put through a being that said that when he was on his planet of light and life, that when the population reached approximately 70-75-80%, that within the week most of the people were seeing the spiritual beings and I would like to know how close is Urantia coming to the 75-80% of the people believing, who are candle-lighted?

TOMAS: Not quite, but the percentages are significant.

Loreenia: About 50?

TOMAS: Approximately.

Loreenia: We're moving pretty fast then!

TOMAS: There is a great harvest. There are many beings, human beings, being woken by the reconnection of spiritual circuitries. It is time, and so you know we need more workers in the field, to hoe the weeds off these young seedlings, that they can grow strong in the Spirit of Truth. There are many tares among the wheat. It is a great effort. We are reaching that point but there is still much work to be done.

You must think I am a very tedious fellow with my constant reference to work, when we have just experienced a basking in reprieve of stressors, and then along comes this plodding Tomas and gives us back a pitchfork and a hoe, but this is work in the fields of joy and love's labor, for together, working in harmony, you can get up a rhythm and accomplish your work early enough to whistle while you walk back for supper. The harvest is great. It remains only for you to see that this is so, that you may help in the harvest.

I have a fun and easy as well as an important assignment for you all in the upcoming week. Inasmuch as the Christmas spirit prevails, inasmuch as Jesus is making one of his annual debuts in the consciousness of your people, I am going to ask you each to consciously go into your arenas and make eye-to-eye contact with as many strangers as you can.

I am going to ask you to address your Thought Adjuster to their Thought Adjuster, even as they look away from you, and invite them in the spirit to look upon your countenance that you may look upon theirs, and smile in the spirit of the season. As you cross the street and encounter people wending their way opposite your flow, look into their eyes, and when they look into yours, smile.

This is your assignment: to look into the eyes of as many people as you can, strangers, and bring the love of Jesus alive to them by your contact, by your cheery hello, by your comforting smile, by your intimate eye contact. Count these occurrences, lest you imagine you have done too many or you have not done enough, so that you have an idea of how you can plant seeds of contact with your brothers and sisters. It is a happy time of year.

Remember that there are many who are not happy, and so to those smile encouragement, smile courage. Remember that when Jesus smiled upon a man, that man was instilled with the courage then to go about his manifold problem-solving with invigorated strength of purpose, and so can your smile be so effective, so infectious in its power. Give the gift of companionship, the gift of light and life, the gift of love.

Questions or commentary?

Celeste: It used to be, Tomas, that we would say, "Smile and the world smiles with you!" but now we say, "Smile and the heavens smile with you!" (Group delight)

TOMAS: Indeed, there is much to smile about, but forget not that those who suffer require compassion, not some goofy grin. Love is contagious.

Loreenia: Another question in the context of the week that the people started seeing on a new planet which light and life -- that first week when they first started seeing -- were they shocked or stupefied or what? I mean, I see with my feelings most of the time, but to see with the eyes would be different for me. I've never been shocked by that but some people may be. How would people, in that first week of seeing the age of light and life, some of them react?

TOMAS: I cannot use ....

Loreenia: Have you not experienced that?

TOMAS: ... use the example that you cited for I was not on that realm, but on my world, yes, there was advancement adequate to indicate on-going morontia activity between the mortals of the realm and the spirit realm. It was not uncommon in my country to not only see the secondary midwayers but to work with them. We were, on occasion, able to witness angels (although not often) and if we were visited by a student visitor, we were often able to focus our attentions conjointly that we could perceive each other with the morontial eye. And so these were a natural part of our understanding of our relationship with the non-material realms; it was a natural part of our lives.

As you describe the circumstance of this other world, where individuals were suddenly seeing, it is almost as if popcorn were exploding and it is a dramatic analogy. Perhaps in its inception it is even accurate. But where I was, where I lived, it had been in existence long enough that we were not discomfited or overly excited by it. Of course, if it were to happen to someone who was not accustomed to it, it could be exciting or alarming.

Loreenia: Are there those of us who are being brought on a little faster to help others when it happens? On this planet?

TOMAS: You are being brought along forward, but not necessarily to help others see the unseen realms.

Loreenia: I mean, to accept that which they see all of a sudden? Through mass openings of the people.

TOMAS: Of course, one of the purposes of the Teaching Mission is to train those who are willing to be the vanguard in this spiritual movement forward and to help stabilize the existent environment while allowing for the spiritual upsurge to continue. Part of our purpose is for stability in an emergency situation. Part of my somber aspects is to instill in you an understanding of the critical pinnacle of your world at this time. Of course the Father will prevail, but we also have seen on your planet that one wrong decision can bring about unfortunate results for thousands of years for untold millions of people, and we are in the process of tilting that back to the other side of the ledger where we begin to grow. We cannot topple here.

I do not mean to discourage your enthusiasm for seeing spirits, but it is not so much that you see them as you have faith that they are there and that you are working together. The most important thing, the most important spirit, the most important contact is that between you and your indwelling Thought Adjuster.

Understanding that there are myriad angels and heavenly hosts and spirit helpers embarked on the Father's plan of ascension with you and for you is comforting and enthralling, but even as it begins to happen that you "see," this initial excitement will also subside, and so part of our foundation building is to see to it that your faith foundations are so strong that when your initial enthusiasms subside, you do not give up hope, you do not perceive failure.

There are rewards along the way, but to seek for the rewards is error. To seek to know the Father is the path. The rewards will follow naturally. "Seek ye first the Kingdom and all these other things will be added unto you," including visualizations of your helpers. Have patience and appreciation for your mortal condition, for your planet Urantia, mother earth, your natal environment. Be a man among men, a woman among women, and give credence and validity, value and joy, heartfelt deep joy to your experiential path as a mortal in fellowship with other mortals.

Yes, it is important that you continue to reach up, and it is important for us that we continue to reach down, that we may meet, converge, and share realities. But do not become content in the flesh, as I will not become content in the spirit. I long for you to come with me. It behooves you to long for your brothers and sisters to also search for the Father and find Him and live the life that He would have us live.

Loreenia: Knowing what we know, to comprehend that this could happen to all of us during this short period of time . if that's possible, it behooves us to be aware so that we can help each other and others that are not aware along the way as we go, and it stabilizes and -- I for one, unless I completely lose my head -- faith has always been my foundation stone. It's what's gotten me this far. But these little things of knowing that something could happen, in advance, and to psychologically prepare ourselves for it, with the Father's help, to be prepared for such a happening is like having a -- being able to see spiritually a little further than what you are if you are unknowing.

TOMAS: Yes, your faith has served you well. And your fellowship among fellow believers is also a bulwark for you and the others. Yes, it is our mission that we stabilize the spirit reality of Urantia, that it not become fanatical or superfluous, but that it stand firm with its roots deeply imbedded in the rock, for there are windy days ahead, there are windy days behind. Remember that your planet has been recipient of trauma and so part of your legacy is to expect trauma. That is a long-lost legacy now. 

It is necessary to stabilize, and so part of our work involves stabilizing the growth, the spiritual growth of this time, lest it become fanatical or superfluous, and so we seek REAL truth, beauty and goodness; we seek contact with the First Source and Center; and this is always why when we talk about something bad or negative, I lean toward the positive to remind you of the other side, and when we get too far afield into "happy, joyous and free," I bring you back to the anguish of those who still suffer, for I am trying to help you develop an appreciation of balance, that you understand balance, so that you can carry this solidarity of purpose with you wherever you go without getting caught up in the feeling too good or the feeling too bad -- just in case you had wondered about my motives in sometimes pulling or swaying in opposite direction of where you seem to want to go.

As you are stabilized in your understanding of your relationship with your indwelling Thought Adjuster, that aspect of true divinity, as your appreciations have been weighed against the reality of your peers, the resultant army of workers in the field will hold firm, will hold fast, will provide that solidarity which will see this precipitous and exciting era into that positive side of the ledger, that ascension growth.

We must not fail. We will not fail. And these are part of the steps necessary to see that Urantia does not default again, that to the extent of her imperfection, she is salvaged, soothed and sent on her way to happy pastures of future greatness.

Loreenia: I was requesting knowledge on that subject for that very reason -- to be prepared, then I wouldn't be as shakeable and maybe be able to help another if they experience an imbalance of fear or whatever.

TOMAS: Absolutely, my prize pupil. You have been paying attention to our lessons, those of which I have spoken and planted seeds, and even now you are testimony to an understanding of what we do together. Well done.

Loreenia: I only reflect what my teacher has taught me. If I'm a prize student, I've had an extremely good teacher.

TOMAS: I, too. Anything else, my friends?

Jude: Good afternoon, Tomas.

TOMAS: Good afternoon, Jude, my son. How are you?

Jude: Just fine.

TOMAS: It is good to have you with us today.

Jude: I haven't been able to attend too regularly because of the cold weather, the long distance that I have to drive, and several other things but I just wanted to touch base with you and say that I haven't quit. I have slowed down a little, but I am as determined as ever and I have a possible job coming up here which is going to take a lot of time, but I will study and read in the spare time that I have. Thank you, Tomas.

TOMAS: Thank you, Jude, not only for your report but for your personality presence. We are fully aware of your faith and your determination to persist in your spirit development and we are heartened by your integrity. Do not feel left behind, for you are on parallel growth with all of us, and as you stay eager and willing, you will grow in your time sphere as we in ours, and it is all harmoniously overseen by the Infinite Spirit.

You do well to pursue your studies and to seek out those with whom you may share your spirit and your understandings of life in the spirit, as you also pursue your earthly career and seek for guidance, learning, understanding and companionship. You are not behind. You are an eager student, as I believe you know in your heart. It is good that you are here. It is always good when individuals step forward and testify to their intention of learning and serving the Father.

Also bear in mind, not only Jude but all of you, that your personal teachers are in constant contact, the midwayers are fully aware of your presence and will help you and work with you whenever possible. The angels themselves are responsive to your supplications through the Father. The Father is ever present, as is the Mother. And myriad personalities can be accessed if you but have faith. It is the most thrilling aspect, perhaps, of this new age, the realization that you are not alone, that isolation has ended, and that you are emerging from the dark cocoon into the flight of light and life.

Stay in touch with each other. It is important that you reaffirm each other. Do not grow weary or self-satisfied in your faith, but seek to serve, to uphold others that they too may uphold you. And so now I will send you forth to extend your ministry to strangers, strangers on the street, in this most charming season. Smile, and tell them by your smile that "Christ is born." 

Amen and farewell.

*The plaque reads:

A TEACHER IS A GUIDE -
someone who not only helps us set goals,
but who also helps us reach them.

A TEACHER IS A COUNSELOR -

someone who not only listens,

but who also knows just what to say.

THE BEST KIND OF TEACHER
is not only a guide and counselor, 
but also A FRIEND.

Dear Tomas,

Thanks for being a teacher who REALLY CARES!

Your Pittsburgh Urantia Group, 
with all our love!!!
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://circuit1.teamcircuits.com/pipermail/tmtranscripts/attachments/20060708/f5b48605/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 12-21-96.PGH.doc
Type: application/msword
Size: 44032 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://circuit1.teamcircuits.com/pipermail/tmtranscripts/attachments/20060708/f5b48605/attachment.doc>