Changes

Michael—August 15, 2005

 

===Topic: ''Reality & Purpose of Pain, Tithing''===

 

MICHAEL—T/R-JL

 

===TR: [[JL]]===

(The reality of pain)

 

(How to help someone suffering)

Prayer: Dear Michael and Mother Spirit, Tonight we offer our prayers for Your help, not for ourselves but for our brothers and sisters who are suffering and living in pain. This may be the physical pain of injuries or disease; it may be the mental anguish of suffering some terrible loss of someone very near and deeply loved, or some natural catastrophe that wiped out their home or whole community. And for some it may be a spiritual pain--the sense of meaninglessness, as if nothing means anything any more, and there’s no value to what they do or what they see in life. We ask You to minister to them. Be in their hearts. Offer them hope and the courage to face another day. For ourselves, we ask You to help us be generous of our resources and our time to help those who so desperately need it. Amen.

 

(The different kinds of pain)

 

(Objectivity and subjectivity)

(Tithing)

*'''(The reality of pain)'''

(The purposes of pain)

MICHAEL: Good evening, My sons, this is Michael. I hear your prayer and I take it into My own heart and send forth My strength that beats in the living hearts of all My children.

 

Pain is one of the great and deep mysteries of life, not only for you human beings with respect to your fellows, for your suffering affects the whole spiritual community. It is not an exaggeration or any play on words to say that the angels weep when they see the suffering that so many go through on Urantia. This is especially so when caused not by some natural catastrophe of time and space--due simply to being on an as yet unsettled evolutionary planet, but that very egregious kind of pain and suffering that is a result of the deliberate acts of your fellow human beings.

 

 

 

MICHAEL: Good evening, My sons, this is Michael. I hear your prayer and I take it into My own heart and send forth My strength that beats in the living hearts of all My children. Pain is one of the great and deep mysteries of life, not only for you human beings with respect to your fellows, for your suffering affects the whole spiritual community. It is not an exaggeration or any play on words to say that the angels weep when they see the suffering that so many go through on Urantia. This is especially so when caused not by some natural catastrophe of time and space--due simply to being on an as yet unsettled evolutionary planet, but that very egregious kind of pain and suffering that is a result of the deliberate acts of your fellow human beings.

On a large scale this is what you are familiar with as warfare, and yet it exists in all of the world on a smaller scale as what you call crime--where one individual very knowing and very deliberately causes someone else to suffer, either to rob and steal, but sometimes with a very deliberate and malicious attack, just to gratify their own sense of power.

On a large scale this is what you are familiar with as warfare, and yet it exists in all of the world on a smaller scale as what you call crime--where one individual very knowing and very deliberately causes someone else to suffer, either to rob and steal, but sometimes with a very deliberate and malicious attack, just to gratify their own sense of power.

If you have questions this evening, on any subject at all touching your heart, let us share it between us.

If you have questions this evening, on any subject at all touching your heart, let us share it between us.

 

Student: Father Michael, I would like to thank you--I do thank you very much for all the changes You have wrought in me in the last few months. I feel much closer to You and Mother, and I appreciate Your being here tonight.

Student: Father Michael, I would like to thank you--I do thank you very much for all the changes You have wrought in me in the last few months. I feel much closer to You and Mother, and I appreciate Your being here tonight.

The question is: Your last statement--does that mean that I perceive what I see… Wait a minute. Is my perception of reality all that I have? Like the way I see things; is that it? There’s obviously a reality quite separate from the way I see things. I thought I had that figured out at one time, but I’m not sure any more. Any enlightenment would be very nice—helpful.

The question is: Your last statement--does that mean that I perceive what I see… Wait a minute. Is my perception of reality all that I have? Like the way I see things; is that it? There’s obviously a reality quite separate from the way I see things. I thought I had that figured out at one time, but I’m not sure any more. Any enlightenment would be very nice—helpful.

(Objectivity and subjectivity)

*'''(Objectivity and subjectivity)'''

MICHAEL: Yes, My son. I call your attention to a lesson We gave some weeks ago on the difference between what you term objective and subjective. This has been a puzzle for the human need to understand oneself and ones place in the world. Many of your finest thinkers and philosophers have taken it head-on.

MICHAEL: Yes, My son. I call your attention to a lesson We gave some weeks ago on the difference between what you term objective and subjective. This has been a puzzle for the human need to understand oneself and ones place in the world. Many of your finest thinkers and philosophers have taken it head-on.

Student: Yes, it does in many ways, Father. It brings up more questions…to ponder on!-- otherwise we’ll be here all night answering questions. Thank You very much.

Student: Yes, it does in many ways, Father. It brings up more questions…to ponder on!-- otherwise we’ll be here all night answering questions. Thank You very much.

MICHAEL: You’re very welcome. It seems you’ve taken My lesson to heart immediately. (group laughs) And be in My peace.

MICHAEL: You’re very welcome. It seems you’ve taken My lesson to heart immediately. (group laughs) And be in My peace.

(Tithing)

*'''(Tithing)'''

Student: Dear Michael, You’ve seemed to answer my question. I had a thrill listening to Robert Cricket talk about tithing and it--I was driving home--I had this idea of why not tithe one hundred percent? I didn’t know why I was so thrilled with that ‘cause it’s, I don’t know, it seems too absolute. But now I realize when You were talking earlier--that when you are more ready to share your exuberance, or good luck, or freedom from pain, with others--maybe in the sense of compassion and empathy and, like Moses, you just do even more… This one hundred percent tithing is maybe an old-fashioned way of looking at it, but it was a help to me and I wonder if You could elaborate, for the record, and for our own enlightenment. Thank You.

Student: Dear Michael, You’ve seemed to answer my question. I had a thrill listening to Robert Cricket talk about tithing and it--I was driving home--I had this idea of why not tithe one hundred percent? I didn’t know why I was so thrilled with that ‘cause it’s, I don’t know, it seems too absolute. But now I realize when You were talking earlier--that when you are more ready to share your exuberance, or good luck, or freedom from pain, with others--maybe in the sense of compassion and empathy and, like Moses, you just do even more… This one hundred percent tithing is maybe an old-fashioned way of looking at it, but it was a help to me and I wonder if You could elaborate, for the record, and for our own enlightenment. Thank You.

Pain truly deserves your respect, especially when you consider those who may be suffering terribly. Respect that you do not really experience their pain, but at the same time open your heart. Let your heart go out to them with compassion and empathy so that, rather than reacting with fear, or aversion, or denial, you find the courage to reach out and take their hand, and at least acknowledge the reality of what this other person in going through. This sharing is truly one of the strongest and most wonderful kinds of love.

Pain truly deserves your respect, especially when you consider those who may be suffering terribly. Respect that you do not really experience their pain, but at the same time open your heart. Let your heart go out to them with compassion and empathy so that, rather than reacting with fear, or aversion, or denial, you find the courage to reach out and take their hand, and at least acknowledge the reality of what this other person in going through. This sharing is truly one of the strongest and most wonderful kinds of love.

Now rest in My peace. Good evening.

Now rest in My peace. Good evening.