The Fourth Magi with Roger Teel

[00:00:01] This is Josh Reeves and you're listening to the Mile Hi Church Podcast. Thanks for listening.

[00:00:06] Hey, December 23rd and 24th are our candlelight services. They are inspiring, revelatory,

[00:00:12] and give you a sense of hope for yourself and humanity. And I don't know about you,

[00:00:16] but I sure do need it. The 23rd and 24th, 1, 4, and 7, and the 7 p.m. are streaming online.

[00:00:22] Hope you can join us. And just to be in the energy of what's going on here, I've been loving the

[00:00:27] messages of late. Dr. Michelle, she's not here. Dr. Michelle did an exquisite job on the first

[00:00:35] Sunday of the month articulating the cosmic Christ. And I'm going to springboard off of that a little

[00:00:39] bit today. Enjoyed Reverend Josh's message last week. And though a little bit misguided in the

[00:00:48] regard of what he holds to be the greatest musical decade, he's so right on in so many ways. But

[00:01:02] to pass over the 10 years of the Beatles library in favor of what? I don't know, but he's in my prayers

[00:01:14] for further enlightenment. And so we're in the flow of the river of the Christmas time. And I know it's

[00:01:27] quite a mixed bag. For many, it's a time of great merriment and magic and allowing the child within

[00:01:37] men to come forth even more beautifully and joyfully. And for those, as mentioned in Dr. Michelle's prayer,

[00:01:46] there are those for whom this is a time of struggle and challenge, perhaps because of current circumstances,

[00:01:53] perhaps a loss in their life. And my heart is with you if you're in that situation. And for some,

[00:01:59] it has been a little bit, I've heard of a bit of a dampening of their spirit of late.

[00:02:06] And for others, it's just a sense of the continued commercialization of this very powerful,

[00:02:14] if not sacred time, the merchandising of it all. The sense that sometimes the givingness is more out

[00:02:24] of obligation than out of that joyous impulse to give. I love this one teenager's creative response

[00:02:31] to that. He presented his dad, much to the dad's surprise, with his beautifully wrapped box.

[00:02:37] And his dad was shocked because he knew that his son had almost no money to buy a gift. So he,

[00:02:45] with delight, he opened this thing. And in it, he found two AA batteries and a note that said,

[00:02:52] gift not included. And so there are many different ways to go about this.

[00:03:00] But I want to share a story some of you have heard. It's also come out as in form, one form of it as a

[00:03:10] child's book, a children's book. But the story of the fourth Magi, written years ago by Henry Van

[00:03:18] Dyke. And it's about what was to be the fourth king from the Orient that would journey to see the baby

[00:03:27] Jesus and present gifts at that long-awaited time when that glorious star would shine.

[00:03:35] This fourth Magi named Artaban, he looks up and he sees that it's happening.

[00:03:42] So Artaban gathers his gift to be given to the baby Jesus, a collection of beautiful, precious jewels.

[00:03:51] And he starts off to join the other three kings on their journey to Bethlehem. But along the way,

[00:03:57] he gets sidetracked, helping a traveler, a wayfarer who was deathly ill. And in so doing,

[00:04:06] he showed up late to the rendezvous with the other three and they had already left. So undaunted,

[00:04:13] Artaban, continues on toward Bethlehem. The challenge being that he arrives late. The birth has already

[00:04:23] happened. Mary, Joseph, and Jesus have departed for Egypt. The three wise men long since have left.

[00:04:32] And he's alone there. So, so Artaban, continuing to carry these precious jewels,

[00:04:41] begins a 30-year journey following, seeking, trying to get to Jesus. 30 years. The problem being

[00:04:52] throughout that span of time, he's always just a little late. A little late. And he misses Jesus time

[00:05:01] and time again, feeling worse and worse about himself. And then he encounters the needs of people along the

[00:05:08] way. And he starts to spend and to contribute these jewels. First, to a lady who was being sold

[00:05:16] into slavery. He bought her and gave her her freedom. Next, there was a man who was going to be

[00:05:21] tossed in jail and his oldest son was going to be given to his creditors as payment for the debt.

[00:05:26] And he paid off the debt. He gave some stones to a woman and her child who were in destitution.

[00:05:32] And before long, not only was he missing meeting up with Jesus, but he had nothing left.

[00:05:39] And he continued in his years to feel he was a miserable failure in his spiritual purpose.

[00:05:48] Until, moments before his last breath, the spirit of Jesus appears to him and tells him that not only is

[00:05:58] he not a miserable failure, but that through his many acts of kindness and caring, he has actually been

[00:06:08] the Christ. And he had no need to find him elsewhere. Now that touches and teaches me. It teaches me

[00:06:19] deeply about what this time really is all about. It's about allowing ourselves to be touched

[00:06:26] and to go deeper

[00:06:29] in our spiritual journey.

[00:06:31] You see, the wise men,

[00:06:33] they had a good intent.

[00:06:35] They knew that this experience

[00:06:37] signaled a shift in collective consciousness.

[00:06:40] Humanity was about to

[00:06:42] have birthed a shift

[00:06:43] that would be unprecedented

[00:06:45] and elevating. And they wanted

[00:06:48] to be there. They wanted to see

[00:06:49] this remarkable emanation of

[00:06:52] possibility, the possible

[00:06:53] human being born.

[00:06:56] And they wanted to honor.

[00:06:58] And they did.

[00:06:59] And then the three left.

[00:07:01] And I guess that's all well and good.

[00:07:04] And yet, Ardabon, in the story,

[00:07:06] and of course it's a fable, but it has mythic truth throughout it,

[00:07:09] Ardabon,

[00:07:11] he succeeds

[00:07:12] not in visiting with and seeing

[00:07:14] and adoring Jesus,

[00:07:15] but becoming the Christ energy that Jesus

[00:07:17] came to articulate and activate

[00:07:21] in human life.

[00:07:23] And I think of that,

[00:07:25] and I think of all those who play church,

[00:07:28] who dabble with religion

[00:07:30] and go and visit their place

[00:07:34] of spiritual attunement,

[00:07:36] their church,

[00:07:37] their temple,

[00:07:38] their ashram,

[00:07:40] their mosque,

[00:07:41] whatever it is,

[00:07:41] but they're just observing and honoring.

[00:07:44] But then there are those

[00:07:47] who dive in

[00:07:48] and become the message,

[00:07:50] become the spirit,

[00:07:51] become the essence,

[00:07:53] attuned to it,

[00:07:54] and continue to track their progress,

[00:07:57] continue to course correct,

[00:07:59] always embodying more of the light

[00:08:02] that it's about.

[00:08:04] I think of that even in terms of Christmas,

[00:08:07] how we can be with the many festivities,

[00:08:10] the traditions,

[00:08:10] all the beautiful aspects of it,

[00:08:11] to be sure.

[00:08:12] But will there be that time

[00:08:14] when we allow ourselves

[00:08:16] to really embrace and become

[00:08:18] and express

[00:08:20] what it's really all about?

[00:08:24] That incredible being,

[00:08:28] Yeshua ben Joseph,

[00:08:29] Jesus of Nazareth,

[00:08:32] he came forth,

[00:08:33] not to be the great exception,

[00:08:34] as our founder said,

[00:08:35] but the great example.

[00:08:36] He came forth

[00:08:37] not to be one

[00:08:39] who would be worshipped

[00:08:40] for generations

[00:08:41] upon generations afar,

[00:08:43] but he came forth

[00:08:44] to activate

[00:08:46] an expanded bandwidth

[00:08:49] and frequency of consciousness

[00:08:50] that was already innate

[00:08:52] but deeply buried

[00:08:53] within humanity.

[00:08:55] He came forth

[00:08:56] as the great shape shifter.

[00:08:58] He came forth

[00:08:59] as the big change agent

[00:09:01] of all time

[00:09:01] who would activate

[00:09:03] a greater consciousness

[00:09:05] of love.

[00:09:06] He said,

[00:09:07] I didn't come to destroy the law,

[00:09:08] I came to fulfill it

[00:09:09] and the fulfilling

[00:09:10] is with the love.

[00:09:13] And with that,

[00:09:14] he came to fulfill us,

[00:09:15] every one of us.

[00:09:17] And he said,

[00:09:18] do the things

[00:09:18] that I have done.

[00:09:19] You will do

[00:09:20] the things I've done

[00:09:21] and you will do

[00:09:22] greater things

[00:09:23] than I have done.

[00:09:24] He said,

[00:09:25] it is your father's

[00:09:26] good pleasure

[00:09:26] to have given you

[00:09:27] the kingdom

[00:09:28] and it was very clear,

[00:09:30] the kingdom of God

[00:09:31] is within you.

[00:09:33] Right now,

[00:09:34] wherever you sit,

[00:09:35] whatever's going on

[00:09:36] in your life,

[00:09:37] he would say to you

[00:09:38] and I say to you,

[00:09:38] the kingdom of heaven

[00:09:40] is already within you.

[00:09:43] And he said,

[00:09:44] I have said,

[00:09:44] you are gods

[00:09:45] and all of you

[00:09:46] children of the Most High.

[00:09:48] How we can have

[00:09:50] so miscomprehended

[00:09:52] and or distorted

[00:09:53] his message

[00:09:54] is beyond me.

[00:09:56] And yet,

[00:09:56] the simple truth

[00:09:57] is that he says,

[00:09:58] follow me.

[00:10:00] He never said,

[00:10:01] worship me.

[00:10:03] He said,

[00:10:04] follow me.

[00:10:06] Artaban ended up

[00:10:07] doing that.

[00:10:08] Though he judged himself

[00:10:09] all the way

[00:10:10] as insufficient,

[00:10:11] he actually was

[00:10:12] fulfilling

[00:10:14] the possibility.

[00:10:16] Our founder,

[00:10:17] Ernest Holmes,

[00:10:18] wrote,

[00:10:18] let us no longer

[00:10:19] think merely of

[00:10:20] the traditional birth

[00:10:21] of Christ,

[00:10:22] numbering the years

[00:10:23] backward,

[00:10:24] but let us rather

[00:10:26] bring these years

[00:10:27] forward

[00:10:28] into our own

[00:10:29] experience

[00:10:30] and permit

[00:10:31] the new birth

[00:10:32] to take place

[00:10:33] in our own

[00:10:34] consciousness.

[00:10:37] That's my prayer

[00:10:38] for you

[00:10:38] for this Christmas.

[00:10:40] That something

[00:10:41] rebirths,

[00:10:42] reactivates,

[00:10:43] re-stimulates

[00:10:45] in your consciousness,

[00:10:46] in your heart

[00:10:47] that brings back

[00:10:48] the goodness

[00:10:49] and the magic of life.

[00:10:50] Even if you're

[00:10:51] in the midst

[00:10:52] of your own

[00:10:52] private hell,

[00:10:53] you discover

[00:10:55] that there's

[00:10:55] a greater heaven

[00:10:57] within and available

[00:10:58] to you.

[00:11:00] May it be

[00:11:01] for you.

[00:11:03] To kind of

[00:11:03] give us direction

[00:11:04] on this,

[00:11:05] on the how-to part,

[00:11:07] how it is

[00:11:08] that we can be

[00:11:08] an everyday,

[00:11:10] current day

[00:11:11] artaban

[00:11:12] in our life.

[00:11:13] I draw upon

[00:11:14] a mystic

[00:11:15] who wrote

[00:11:17] a lot of poetry

[00:11:17] but he was

[00:11:18] a deep mystic,

[00:11:19] an Austrian mystic

[00:11:21] in the early 1900s,

[00:11:23] wrote a bunch

[00:11:23] of beautiful stuff

[00:11:24] but there's one line

[00:11:25] I want to bring forth

[00:11:26] and it's going to be

[00:11:26] up on the screen.

[00:11:27] And even though

[00:11:30] Rainer Maria O'Rilke

[00:11:32] looks like he ate

[00:11:33] some bad strudel

[00:11:33] the night before

[00:11:34] in that picture,

[00:11:35] what he says

[00:11:39] is really powerful.

[00:11:43] The work of sight

[00:11:46] is done.

[00:11:49] Do heart work

[00:11:50] now.

[00:11:52] Do heart work

[00:11:53] now.

[00:11:56] That's what this

[00:11:57] is all about.

[00:11:59] That's what

[00:12:00] artaban did.

[00:12:01] That's what

[00:12:01] can elevate

[00:12:04] and activate

[00:12:05] the greatest

[00:12:05] in you and me.

[00:12:06] Do heart work.

[00:12:08] Do heart work.

[00:12:09] Let me suggest

[00:12:10] some ways

[00:12:10] we can go about this.

[00:12:12] First of all,

[00:12:13] in doing heart work,

[00:12:14] be a messenger

[00:12:16] of hope.

[00:12:18] Be a messenger

[00:12:19] of hope.

[00:12:20] There's a lot of

[00:12:20] doomsday saying

[00:12:21] going on right now.

[00:12:22] Now,

[00:12:24] doom and gloom

[00:12:24] speaking

[00:12:25] going on right now.

[00:12:28] I invite you

[00:12:29] to discover

[00:12:30] something greater

[00:12:32] within yourself

[00:12:32] and be a messenger

[00:12:33] of hope.

[00:12:35] Of hope.

[00:12:37] because no matter

[00:12:39] how dark

[00:12:39] things seems

[00:12:40] to be,

[00:12:42] there is still

[00:12:42] a light

[00:12:43] available

[00:12:44] that we can

[00:12:45] activate

[00:12:45] and that we

[00:12:46] can shine.

[00:12:48] I want to share

[00:12:49] with you about

[00:12:49] another really

[00:12:50] inspired being,

[00:12:53] Father Alfred Delp.

[00:12:54] And a picture

[00:12:55] of Father Delp

[00:12:56] is coming forth

[00:12:57] here.

[00:12:58] An amazing

[00:12:59] man.

[00:12:59] He was a

[00:13:00] Jesuit priest

[00:13:01] in Germany.

[00:13:02] And he was

[00:13:03] part of the

[00:13:05] resistance movement

[00:13:06] against the

[00:13:07] tyranny of

[00:13:07] Adolf Hitler.

[00:13:09] He was then

[00:13:09] condemned as a

[00:13:10] traitor and

[00:13:11] thrown into

[00:13:12] a Nazi

[00:13:12] prison camp.

[00:13:14] And while

[00:13:15] there in that

[00:13:16] camp,

[00:13:16] he wrote many

[00:13:17] letters and

[00:13:18] meditations

[00:13:19] during that

[00:13:20] experience

[00:13:21] that expressed

[00:13:22] his struggles,

[00:13:23] his victories,

[00:13:24] and his

[00:13:25] beliefs.

[00:13:25] And many of

[00:13:26] these are

[00:13:26] cherished to

[00:13:27] this day

[00:13:27] and deeply

[00:13:28] studied by

[00:13:29] folks.

[00:13:29] And he,

[00:13:30] in his own

[00:13:31] words,

[00:13:31] would pace

[00:13:32] three steps

[00:13:32] one way in

[00:13:33] his cell

[00:13:33] and then

[00:13:33] three steps

[00:13:34] another way.

[00:13:35] His wrists

[00:13:36] shackled in

[00:13:37] irons,

[00:13:38] but yet

[00:13:38] his heart

[00:13:39] aflame.

[00:13:41] His heart

[00:13:42] aflame.

[00:13:42] Sadly,

[00:13:44] Father Delp

[00:13:45] succumbed to

[00:13:46] the torture

[00:13:46] of that

[00:13:47] prison and

[00:13:48] passed away

[00:13:49] just days

[00:13:49] before this

[00:13:50] reading I

[00:13:51] want to share

[00:13:51] with you.

[00:13:52] I'm going to

[00:13:52] share it in

[00:13:52] parts.

[00:13:53] But I invite

[00:13:54] you to tune

[00:13:54] in to the

[00:13:55] incredible words

[00:13:56] of this man

[00:13:56] written in

[00:13:58] that horrific

[00:13:58] setting.

[00:14:00] There are

[00:14:01] always angels

[00:14:02] announcing their

[00:14:04] message of

[00:14:05] good news

[00:14:05] into the

[00:14:07] midst of

[00:14:07] anguish,

[00:14:09] scattering their

[00:14:10] seed of

[00:14:10] blessings that

[00:14:11] will spring up

[00:14:11] one day in

[00:14:13] the midst of

[00:14:13] the night.

[00:14:14] They call us

[00:14:15] to hope.

[00:14:21] Something about

[00:14:22] what was

[00:14:22] possible was

[00:14:23] not dimmed

[00:14:24] because of his

[00:14:25] circumstance.

[00:14:27] And he,

[00:14:28] in the midst

[00:14:28] of it,

[00:14:28] would call us

[00:14:29] to hope.

[00:14:32] To hope.

[00:14:34] So powerful.

[00:14:35] Hope sometimes

[00:14:36] gets a bad

[00:14:37] rap.

[00:14:37] I hear some

[00:14:38] students say,

[00:14:39] well, I don't

[00:14:39] want to hope.

[00:14:40] I want to

[00:14:41] know.

[00:14:42] And I want to

[00:14:43] have faith.

[00:14:43] And I say,

[00:14:44] that's great.

[00:14:45] But your faith

[00:14:46] will be nothing

[00:14:47] if it's not

[00:14:47] built on the

[00:14:48] foundation of

[00:14:48] hope.

[00:14:59] delay but

[00:15:00] not block

[00:15:01] divine destiny.

[00:15:03] Whether it's

[00:15:04] the unfoldment

[00:15:05] of the higher

[00:15:06] patterns of

[00:15:07] good within

[00:15:07] you and me,

[00:15:08] whether it's

[00:15:09] the transformation

[00:15:10] of human

[00:15:11] consciousness at

[00:15:12] a collective

[00:15:12] level, it can

[00:15:13] be delayed,

[00:15:14] it can be

[00:15:15] detoured, but

[00:15:16] it cannot be

[00:15:16] blocked nor

[00:15:17] destroyed.

[00:15:18] Hope knows

[00:15:19] that in the

[00:15:20] midst of the

[00:15:20] journey.

[00:15:22] And he goes

[00:15:23] on to say,

[00:15:23] if we want

[00:15:24] to be alive,

[00:15:25] then we must

[00:15:26] first believe

[00:15:27] in the golden

[00:15:28] seed of God

[00:15:29] that the

[00:15:30] angels have

[00:15:31] scattered and

[00:15:32] are still

[00:15:33] offering to

[00:15:33] open hearts.

[00:15:34] The golden

[00:15:35] seed of God,

[00:15:37] those thoughts

[00:15:39] from on

[00:15:40] high as it

[00:15:41] were,

[00:15:42] those spiritual

[00:15:43] inspirations that

[00:15:45] come to the

[00:15:45] open hearted,

[00:15:47] that can guide,

[00:15:48] that can

[00:15:48] encourage,

[00:15:49] that can

[00:15:49] uplift.

[00:15:52] Then we must

[00:15:53] walk through

[00:15:54] the gray days

[00:15:55] of our time

[00:15:56] as announcing

[00:15:57] messengers.

[00:16:00] So many

[00:16:01] need their

[00:16:02] courage

[00:16:02] strengthened.

[00:16:03] So many

[00:16:05] are in

[00:16:05] despair and

[00:16:07] in need of

[00:16:07] comfort.

[00:16:09] There is so

[00:16:11] much harshness

[00:16:12] that needs a

[00:16:15] gentle hand

[00:16:17] and an

[00:16:17] illuminating

[00:16:18] word.

[00:16:19] So much

[00:16:20] loneliness

[00:16:21] crying out for

[00:16:22] a word of

[00:16:23] release.

[00:16:24] So much

[00:16:25] loss and

[00:16:26] pain in

[00:16:28] search of

[00:16:28] inner meaning.

[00:16:29] will we

[00:16:33] be the same

[00:16:33] today as

[00:16:34] then?

[00:16:37] Will we

[00:16:38] be those who,

[00:16:39] with compassion,

[00:16:42] can be a

[00:16:44] radiance of

[00:16:44] some hope,

[00:16:47] sharing the

[00:16:48] scattered

[00:16:49] inspirations that

[00:16:50] come when in

[00:16:50] the midst of it

[00:16:51] all we open

[00:16:51] our hearts?

[00:16:53] We do

[00:16:53] heart work.

[00:16:54] He goes on,

[00:16:55] to eyes that

[00:16:56] do not see,

[00:16:57] it seems as

[00:16:58] though the

[00:16:58] final dice are

[00:16:59] being cast down

[00:17:00] here in the

[00:17:00] valley of

[00:17:01] death, on

[00:17:02] the battlefields,

[00:17:02] in the cities

[00:17:03] of violence and

[00:17:04] poverty, in the

[00:17:05] souls of millions

[00:17:06] who live lives

[00:17:07] of desperation.

[00:17:09] Those who are

[00:17:10] awake, however,

[00:17:12] sense the

[00:17:13] working of

[00:17:13] other powers,

[00:17:15] eternal realities

[00:17:17] which shine their

[00:17:18] light of the

[00:17:19] radiant

[00:17:20] fulfillment to

[00:17:21] come.

[00:17:24] There's what

[00:17:25] it's about.

[00:17:25] In the midst

[00:17:26] of the

[00:17:28] transformational

[00:17:28] journey of

[00:17:29] humankind, we

[00:17:30] sense, we

[00:17:32] sense the

[00:17:33] eternal realities

[00:17:35] still in charge.

[00:17:36] We sense

[00:17:38] other powers

[00:17:39] at work in

[00:17:40] our own lives.

[00:17:41] We don't know

[00:17:42] how it's going

[00:17:43] to turn out, but

[00:17:43] we know that

[00:17:43] something's

[00:17:44] unfolding by

[00:17:45] means of us,

[00:17:48] a fulfillment

[00:17:48] to come.

[00:17:50] And he

[00:17:51] concludes,

[00:17:51] from afar

[00:17:53] sound the first

[00:17:54] notes, the new

[00:17:55] song of God's

[00:17:55] future.

[00:17:58] That future is

[00:17:59] still far off and

[00:18:00] only just announced

[00:18:00] and foretold, but

[00:18:01] fulfillment is

[00:18:02] happening.

[00:18:03] It is occurring

[00:18:04] today, and

[00:18:05] tomorrow the angels

[00:18:06] will tell what has

[00:18:07] happened with loud

[00:18:08] rejoicing voices, and

[00:18:10] we will know it

[00:18:11] and be glad.

[00:18:14] This is the

[00:18:14] hard work that

[00:18:16] we do to go

[00:18:18] deeper to a

[00:18:19] greater reality

[00:18:20] and unfolding

[00:18:21] intelligence

[00:18:22] throughout all

[00:18:23] of creation and

[00:18:24] unfolding in

[00:18:25] our own lives.

[00:18:27] And such it

[00:18:28] is that even

[00:18:29] as Artaban, who

[00:18:29] pronounced himself

[00:18:30] a failure and

[00:18:31] thought he was

[00:18:31] way off course,

[00:18:32] discovered actually

[00:18:33] he was right on

[00:18:34] course.

[00:18:34] That's what we

[00:18:35] discover from

[00:18:35] time to time,

[00:18:37] that something's

[00:18:38] evolving in the

[00:18:39] midst of our

[00:18:39] journey, the

[00:18:40] high times and

[00:18:41] the low times.

[00:18:42] Oh, yes, I

[00:18:43] encourage you, in

[00:18:46] the spirit of true

[00:18:47] Christmas, to be a

[00:18:48] messenger of hope

[00:18:51] And to also

[00:18:52] then, secondly, be a

[00:18:55] keeper of light.

[00:18:58] There have always

[00:18:59] been guardians and

[00:19:00] keepers of light,

[00:19:02] whether it was those

[00:19:04] who tended the

[00:19:05] fire, the campfire,

[00:19:07] whether it's been

[00:19:07] those who actually

[00:19:09] lived in light

[00:19:09] houses and kept the

[00:19:11] flame alive to

[00:19:13] warn the mariners

[00:19:14] of the rocks.

[00:19:16] In the Middle

[00:19:17] Ages, it is said

[00:19:18] that it was so

[00:19:20] arduous to start

[00:19:21] a fire from

[00:19:22] scratch that

[00:19:24] many people would

[00:19:25] carry with the

[00:19:25] metal boxes that

[00:19:27] had in them a

[00:19:28] glowing ember from

[00:19:30] the fire, which

[00:19:32] they would keep a

[00:19:33] light by occasionally

[00:19:34] adding little bits

[00:19:35] of kindling to it,

[00:19:37] such that wherever

[00:19:38] they went, they

[00:19:38] had the spark to

[00:19:40] start the fire.

[00:19:43] And wherever you

[00:19:44] are, I am, we

[00:19:47] carry the spark.

[00:19:48] We carry the spark

[00:19:51] that can light the

[00:19:52] fire, fan the

[00:19:53] flames of new

[00:19:55] energy.

[00:19:56] Maybe it's we

[00:19:57] notice someone who's

[00:19:58] struggling and we

[00:20:01] lift them.

[00:20:02] We speak to them.

[00:20:04] We become a

[00:20:05] believing force in

[00:20:06] their midst.

[00:20:08] I've had that in my

[00:20:09] life, in my journey.

[00:20:10] I've also had

[00:20:10] detractors.

[00:20:12] But I know that I

[00:20:13] am where I am

[00:20:14] because I cared

[00:20:16] enough to listen to

[00:20:16] those who believed

[00:20:17] in me.

[00:20:19] and believe in

[00:20:21] their belief.

[00:20:23] Even when I was

[00:20:24] struggling to believe

[00:20:24] in myself.

[00:20:25] Love this story of a

[00:20:26] certain elementary

[00:20:27] school teacher who

[00:20:28] taught writing and

[00:20:30] reading.

[00:20:31] And she refused to

[00:20:34] mark up her

[00:20:34] students' papers with

[00:20:36] a bunch of red

[00:20:37] ink with all the

[00:20:38] errors.

[00:20:40] And instead, she'd

[00:20:41] put stickers all

[00:20:42] over them and she'd

[00:20:43] write nice and good

[00:20:44] job and stuff all

[00:20:45] over them so much

[00:20:46] that the parents got

[00:20:46] a little concerned

[00:20:47] that she wasn't

[00:20:48] correcting them.

[00:20:48] But she said,

[00:20:49] listen, there'll be

[00:20:50] time for that.

[00:20:51] I want them to fall

[00:20:52] in love with words.

[00:20:53] I don't want them to

[00:20:54] be afraid to experiment

[00:20:55] and to try things

[00:20:56] and to express

[00:20:56] themselves.

[00:20:58] Because if you nip a

[00:20:59] butt, it'll never

[00:21:00] open.

[00:21:01] And I love that.

[00:21:03] I love that.

[00:21:04] We can get so adept at

[00:21:06] red inking people.

[00:21:08] You know, and telling

[00:21:09] them where they need

[00:21:10] to do this and ought to

[00:21:11] do that and they're not

[00:21:11] enough here and they're

[00:21:12] not enough there.

[00:21:14] when what heart

[00:21:15] doesn't yearn for

[00:21:17] someone to come along

[00:21:18] and say, here's what

[00:21:18] I see that's so

[00:21:19] powerful in you.

[00:21:20] Keep doing more of

[00:21:21] that.

[00:21:22] Keep believing in

[00:21:23] that.

[00:21:24] Where in your life,

[00:21:26] in the midst of the

[00:21:27] folks you're around,

[00:21:28] might you be a keeper

[00:21:29] of light?

[00:21:30] And going forward,

[00:21:32] to have that

[00:21:33] realization that that's

[00:21:34] a sacred commission

[00:21:35] for you.

[00:21:37] Ah, be a keeper of

[00:21:38] the light.

[00:21:38] And it starts with

[00:21:40] keeping your own

[00:21:40] flame of fire.

[00:21:43] Keep it a light.

[00:21:44] Christmas can relight

[00:21:46] that flame.

[00:21:47] And then finally, if

[00:21:49] you're a messenger of

[00:21:49] hope and a keeper of

[00:21:50] the light, then you're

[00:21:51] perfectly equipped,

[00:21:52] finally, to be an angel

[00:21:54] of compassion.

[00:21:56] That may be the highest

[00:21:57] state that we attain,

[00:21:59] at least at this level,

[00:22:00] of our evolution.

[00:22:02] And that is to be an

[00:22:03] active expression of

[00:22:05] compassion.

[00:22:07] Compassion.

[00:22:09] When we were with the

[00:22:10] Dalai Lama, he said it

[00:22:11] over and over.

[00:22:11] My religion is simple.

[00:22:13] Compassion.

[00:22:15] Compassion in action.

[00:22:17] In our life.

[00:22:20] What a blessing it is

[00:22:22] when we impart that.

[00:22:23] I was reflecting about

[00:22:25] my many years here at

[00:22:26] Mile High and the

[00:22:27] beautiful people I've

[00:22:28] known, many of whom

[00:22:29] are here right now.

[00:22:31] And some have left us.

[00:22:32] And I was thinking

[00:22:33] about this beautiful

[00:22:34] couple in the

[00:22:35] mid-80s that I got

[00:22:37] to know when I was

[00:22:38] an associate minister.

[00:22:40] They were so deeply

[00:22:41] in love.

[00:22:42] They'd been married

[00:22:43] between 40 and 45 years.

[00:22:46] I'm not sure exactly.

[00:22:48] But deeply in love.

[00:22:50] They had such a rich

[00:22:51] journey together,

[00:22:52] travels, and so many

[00:22:53] experiences raising a

[00:22:54] family.

[00:22:54] All of a sudden, one day,

[00:22:56] he collapsed and passed.

[00:22:58] And she was

[00:22:59] understandably in total

[00:23:01] shock.

[00:23:03] Total waves of grief,

[00:23:05] which we can all

[00:23:06] comprehend.

[00:23:08] And of course, the

[00:23:10] teaching helped her

[00:23:11] immensely.

[00:23:11] And yet you can't

[00:23:12] sidestep the kind of

[00:23:13] grieving that comes

[00:23:14] along with that

[00:23:15] territory in life.

[00:23:16] It's an expression of

[00:23:17] love that we grieve,

[00:23:18] you know.

[00:23:18] We only grieve because

[00:23:19] we first love.

[00:23:22] And I remember her

[00:23:23] also then coming in to

[00:23:24] talk to me at the

[00:23:25] first Christmas she

[00:23:26] would spend alone.

[00:23:28] And there were a lot

[00:23:29] of tears.

[00:23:30] And mine and hers.

[00:23:33] And eventually she said,

[00:23:35] but I've come to a

[00:23:36] realization.

[00:23:37] And I'll never forget it

[00:23:39] because I was so

[00:23:39] stunned by her realizing

[00:23:41] this in the midst of

[00:23:42] her ongoing grieving.

[00:23:44] And she said, I can

[00:23:47] still give the kind of

[00:23:49] love my husband and I

[00:23:50] experienced.

[00:23:51] I can still give it.

[00:23:52] I still have that

[00:23:54] capacity.

[00:23:55] And I don't know

[00:23:56] how, Roger, but one

[00:23:57] way or another I'm

[00:23:58] going forth into this

[00:23:59] new year and I'm

[00:23:59] going to give it.

[00:24:02] And I thought, who's

[00:24:03] ministering to whom

[00:24:04] here?

[00:24:07] Wow.

[00:24:08] And I know that she

[00:24:09] over the next several

[00:24:11] months would say that

[00:24:12] she had experimented

[00:24:12] with this.

[00:24:13] She'd gone to this

[00:24:13] group and volunteered

[00:24:14] at this organization.

[00:24:16] But then somewhere in

[00:24:17] that year she came to

[00:24:19] me with a special joy.

[00:24:20] She had found her

[00:24:21] niche.

[00:24:22] She had gotten

[00:24:23] involved in a shelter

[00:24:25] for teenagers.

[00:24:27] Abandoned or runaway

[00:24:28] teenagers.

[00:24:29] And she found that

[00:24:30] place where she opened

[00:24:32] her heart and she just

[00:24:33] gave and gave and gave.

[00:24:35] Over the course of

[00:24:36] seven or eight years,

[00:24:37] she got to the place

[00:24:38] where she was spending

[00:24:39] three or four days a

[00:24:40] week volunteering there.

[00:24:41] She was just pouring

[00:24:42] her whole heart to the

[00:24:43] place.

[00:24:44] She was, for many of

[00:24:45] those young people,

[00:24:45] the grandmother they'd

[00:24:46] never had.

[00:24:48] And it was a

[00:24:50] stunningly beautiful

[00:24:51] thing.

[00:24:51] And to see also her

[00:24:52] own evolution and her

[00:24:54] own retouching.

[00:24:55] return to a life of

[00:24:56] joy and meaning.

[00:24:58] At one point she

[00:24:59] even provided financial

[00:25:01] assistance to two of

[00:25:02] the teenagers to go to

[00:25:03] our local community

[00:25:04] colleges.

[00:25:05] It was a stunningly

[00:25:06] beautiful thing.

[00:25:07] At the heart of it she

[00:25:08] had a ritual, she told

[00:25:08] me, that every

[00:25:09] Thanksgiving she would

[00:25:11] light a candle by a

[00:25:12] picture of her husband

[00:25:13] and dedicate herself to

[00:25:16] a continued expression

[00:25:18] of the love that they

[00:25:19] had experienced

[00:25:20] together.

[00:25:21] And she told me,

[00:25:22] yeah, there are sad

[00:25:23] times.

[00:25:25] I confess them deeply,

[00:25:26] deeply.

[00:25:26] And yet I feel so good

[00:25:30] about my heart and my

[00:25:33] ability to love.

[00:25:34] Well, she's no longer

[00:25:36] with us, but boy, does her

[00:25:37] memory teach me

[00:25:40] continually.

[00:25:43] Not only will our

[00:25:44] compassion be a blessing

[00:25:45] around us, but it'll lift

[00:25:48] us all up into the life for

[00:25:50] which we're designed.

[00:25:52] That's heart work, gang.

[00:25:54] To announce a hope when it

[00:25:55] seems like all the forces

[00:25:57] around us are denying it.

[00:25:59] But to go deeper and sense

[00:26:00] that other reality unfolding

[00:26:03] itself through us.

[00:26:05] To carry that spark.

[00:26:09] To be a keeper of the light.

[00:26:12] To keep our own flame

[00:26:13] burning so that we can spark

[00:26:14] others, kindle that flame in

[00:26:16] others, and to let our

[00:26:17] compassion touch the world.

[00:26:20] I tell you, you do this.

[00:26:22] Spend some time in this,

[00:26:24] the next days leading up to

[00:26:25] this ritual significant time.

[00:26:28] And you'll find that your

[00:26:30] life blossoms.

[00:26:32] And that this Christmas time

[00:26:35] becomes a renewal time,

[00:26:37] a re-enchantment time.

[00:26:39] A rediscovery of the deepest

[00:26:41] purpose of your being.

[00:26:43] It's said that on that day,

[00:26:46] thousands of years ago,

[00:26:47] love was born.

[00:26:49] May it be reborn

[00:26:50] in our hearts

[00:26:52] and in our lives

[00:26:52] right now.

[00:26:54] Let's have a prayer

[00:26:55] together.

[00:27:04] So we slow down

[00:27:05] with the words

[00:27:06] and move into

[00:27:07] the experience together.

[00:27:12] Take a deep breath

[00:27:13] and bring yourself

[00:27:14] to this full moment,

[00:27:16] this sacred now.

[00:27:22] And let your energy

[00:27:24] move from your head

[00:27:28] downward to the center

[00:27:29] of your chest,

[00:27:30] your heart.

[00:27:32] let your shoulders fall.

[00:27:36] And without trying

[00:27:37] to force anything

[00:27:38] to happen,

[00:27:41] simply allow your awareness

[00:27:43] and your breathing

[00:27:45] to be centered

[00:27:46] right here in your heart,

[00:27:47] your heart chakra.

[00:27:51] And just give to it.

[00:27:55] You see,

[00:27:56] your heart knows

[00:27:57] how to awaken

[00:27:59] when we move out

[00:28:00] of the clutches

[00:28:00] of fear

[00:28:01] that close

[00:28:02] or protect the heart.

[00:28:04] And surrender to it.

[00:28:06] And so allow your heart

[00:28:11] to not only quicken

[00:28:13] but to warm you.

[00:28:15] Just allow.

[00:28:23] Perhaps you'll

[00:28:24] sense that something

[00:28:26] does indeed shift

[00:28:28] within you.

[00:28:32] That something wells up.

[00:28:35] Perhaps proclaiming,

[00:28:36] thou art my beloved child

[00:28:39] in whom I am well pleased.

[00:28:42] And we have the opportunity

[00:28:48] to sense the abiding

[00:28:49] and eternal love

[00:28:50] of that which is

[00:28:51] and ever shall be.

[00:28:54] Loving our own life.

[00:28:56] Its creation.

[00:28:57] Its breath.

[00:28:58] Its spirit.

[00:29:03] Perhaps you sense

[00:29:04] that the old challenges

[00:29:06] and their claim on you

[00:29:07] are weakening

[00:29:08] and in their place

[00:29:10] a deep comfort

[00:29:11] is emerging

[00:29:11] and a deep sense

[00:29:16] that life is still good.

[00:29:19] So good.

[00:29:24] May that peace

[00:29:25] that passeth

[00:29:26] all human understanding

[00:29:29] continue to emerge

[00:29:31] in your heart

[00:29:38] and realize

[00:29:39] you've come home.

[00:29:41] Welcome home

[00:29:43] to the hearth

[00:29:46] of the heart

[00:29:49] wherein

[00:29:50] all answers

[00:29:52] are available.

[00:29:55] Welcome

[00:29:56] to the higher self.

[00:29:59] The authentic self.

[00:30:02] God's idea of you.

[00:30:08] Welcome

[00:30:09] to higher vision

[00:30:10] and creativity

[00:30:11] for your life.

[00:30:15] Welcome

[00:30:15] to true strength

[00:30:16] and power.

[00:30:20] Welcome.

[00:30:24] Welcome to Christmas.

[00:30:27] The birthing anew

[00:30:28] as you go forth

[00:30:32] as everyday

[00:30:33] art of on.

[00:30:36] Not just knowing

[00:30:37] a truth being it.

[00:30:41] I affirm and know

[00:30:43] every being here

[00:30:45] is luminous

[00:30:46] in the radiance

[00:30:47] of divine love.

[00:30:48] love.

[00:30:49] I know the strength

[00:30:51] the wisdom

[00:30:52] the fortitude

[00:30:53] we seek

[00:30:54] is already here

[00:30:55] and we open

[00:30:57] and we allow

[00:31:00] and we give thanks

[00:31:01] for the strength

[00:31:02] renewal

[00:31:02] and the good

[00:31:04] that flows

[00:31:04] to through

[00:31:05] us

[00:31:06] for all.

[00:31:09] We give thanks.

[00:31:12] We are truly

[00:31:13] and profoundly

[00:31:14] blessed

[00:31:14] and a blessing

[00:31:17] and we let

[00:31:18] this heart

[00:31:18] energy

[00:31:18] not just

[00:31:19] remain

[00:31:19] in this

[00:31:20] experience

[00:31:21] but fill

[00:31:21] this room

[00:31:23] blessing

[00:31:23] every beautiful

[00:31:24] soul

[00:31:24] who's been

[00:31:25] attracted here

[00:31:25] blessing

[00:31:26] those

[00:31:26] watching online

[00:31:28] in our midst

[00:31:32] but there's

[00:31:32] no separation

[00:31:35] blessing

[00:31:36] our community

[00:31:39] our state

[00:31:42] blessing

[00:31:43] our country

[00:31:44] and our world

[00:31:47] all beings

[00:31:48] and sentient

[00:31:49] beings

[00:31:49] all creation

[00:31:51] Grandmother Earth

[00:31:52] herself

[00:31:53] we are lifted

[00:31:58] up together.

[00:31:59] Thank you.

[00:32:00] Thank you

[00:32:00] spirit

[00:32:02] for the power

[00:32:03] of our heart

[00:32:03] work.

[00:32:05] Ah with

[00:32:06] great joy

[00:32:07] we move

[00:32:10] here

[00:32:10] from this

[00:32:11] place

[00:32:12] shining our

[00:32:13] lights

[00:32:14] it is good

[00:32:14] and very good

[00:32:15] we let it

[00:32:15] be

[00:32:16] and it is

[00:32:19] done

[00:32:20] and so it

[00:32:21] is.

[00:32:22] Amen.

[00:32:27] Thanks for

[00:32:28] listening to the

[00:32:28] Mile High Church

[00:32:29] podcast.

[00:32:30] This podcast

[00:32:31] is made

[00:32:31] possible by

[00:32:32] the generous

[00:32:33] contributions

[00:32:33] from listeners

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[00:32:35] To make a

[00:32:35] donation

[00:32:35] please visit

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