Changes

==Session==

==Session==

===Opening===

===Opening===

Dear Michael and Mother Spirit,    I’ve been trying to get some grasp on what is the essence of the coming holidays--or holy-days--at this time of year.  I recalled the words of the carol celebrating the little town of Bethlehem, the assertion that “the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight” with your birth as Jesus.  It always puzzled me: what had fear to do with it?  What could it mean by a meeting of hope and fear?  But the more I thought of it, the more it seemed they are inextricably tied together.

Dear Michael and [[Mother Spirit]],    I’ve been trying to get some [[Understanding|grasp]] on what is the [[essence]] of the coming holidays--or holy-days--at this time of year.  I recalled the [[words]] of the carol celebrating the little town of [[Bethlehem]], the assertion that “the [[hopes]] and [[fears]] of all the years are met in thee tonight” with your birth as [[Jesus]].  It always puzzled me: what had fear to do with it?  What could it mean by a meeting of hope and fear?  But the more I [[thought]] of it, the more it seemed they are inextricably tied together.

   

   

It’s fear that challenges the innate hope of a living human being, yet by the same token it’s hope that allows us to conquer our fears.  So your coming was the meeting of these two things.  The hope that you embodied then, and now in our ways of contacting you and Mother Spirit, do give birth, do bring into consciousness those very fears and limitations that are holding us back.  It’s by having faith and hope in the two of you, and in our loving connection, that we are able to meet those fears.  That is the triumph of hope.

It’s fear that [[challenges]] the innate hope of a living [[human being]], yet by the same token it’s hope that allows us to conquer our fears.  So [[Paper 120 - The Bestowal of Michael on Urantia|your coming]] was the meeting of these two [[things]].  The hope that you [[Incarnation|embodied]] then, and now in our ways of contacting you and Mother Spirit, do give birth, do bring into [[consciousness]] those very fears and limitations that are holding us back.  It’s by having [[faith]] and hope in the two of you, and in our loving [[connection]], that we are able to meet those fears.  That is the triumph of [[hope]].

   

   

Then there’s that other essential element of the holidays--the getting together and sharing our lives.  You’ve taught us the essence of divinity, of God’s intrinsic nature, is His ability to share living reality with others--the purpose for the whole creation and all the personal beings in it.  This is another way we triumph over fear, by getting together and sharing our lives with each other.  This too is the hallmark of the holidays that we treasure so deeply.  So thank you, dear parents, for allowing us to share this time with you tonight.  Amen.

Then there’s that other [[essential]] element of the holidays--the getting together and sharing our lives.  You’ve taught us the [[essence]] of [[divinity]], of God’s intrinsic nature, is His ability to [[share]] living [[reality]] with others--the [[purpose]] for the whole [[creation]] and all the [[personal]] [[beings]] in it.  This is another way we triumph over fear, by getting together and [[sharing]] our lives with each other.  This too is the hallmark of the holidays that we treasure so [[Profound|deeply]].  So thank you, dear parents, for allowing us to share this time with you tonight.  [[Amen]].

 

===Lesson===

===Lesson===

===='''''[[Friendship]]'''''====

===='''''[[Friendship]]'''''====