Heavenly Diamonds of April?

April brings the season opening of Major League Baseball, for many years considered "America's Pastime."

Most people might say the real American pastime in the early days was the practice of living with an awareness of God ... and the decline and fall of America began when so many Americans started drifting away from focus on God. But a few old-timers might say, "Yeah, but America's deterioration sure sped up when people began losing interest in baseball!"

Wouldn't it be ironic if baseball was created by a Godly people and reflects one's spiritual life?

"You should be able to remind yourself that this is no idle game, but an exercise in holiness and an attempt to reach the Kingdom of Heaven." - Jesus Christ in His revelation for the 21st Century: A Course in Miracles.

The goal for any batter in baseball, after all, is to make it safely all the way home.

Would the batter not be a shining All-Star if his mind was totally established in the certainty which Jesus offers?

"You are as certain of arriving home as is the pathway of the sun laid down before it rises, after it has set, and in the half-lit hours in between.... Now you walk with Him as certain as is He of where you go; as sure as He of how you should proceed, as confident as He is of the goal, and of your safe arrival in the end." (ACIM Workbook)

But it can't be a game without an opposing force, can it? So the opposition starts with the pitcher. Our ego is always pitching something to us, hoping to overpower us with fastballs, trick us with curves and sliders, hoping to get us to swing ... but miss the ball.

"We have emphasized that the ego's rule is, "Seek and do NOT find." (ACIM Text Chap. 11)

Yet sometimes the batter makes a connection, right?

But will the connection bring results?  Because the ego has backup ... questions and doubts ... infielders and outfielders who can gobble up the ball and render the connection worthless.

However, a really  powerfully solid connection takes the batter all the way home ... a home run.

But a connection of lesser power can still be a hit, can still allow progress to first base, maybe to second base, possibly to third base. Or maybe the ego's pitches miss the mark and you are given a pass to first base ... the divine grace called a "walk." Nonetheless, hit or walk, help would still be needed from teammates, right?

"You do not walk alone. God’s angels hover close, and all about." (ACIM Workbook)

There are actually many parallels between baseball and the mystical teachings of Jesus Christ.

In the book of Genesis, the creation narrative describes 7 stages, 3 cycles of 3.  The three temptations of Jesus represent the middle stage of each of these cycles. These are the stages of making our world and eventually returning back to heaven, 3 cycles of 3, each  starting with peace, experiencing the temptation of duality with more strength each cycle, then returning to harmony. 

First cycle
(1) Oneness
(2) Weakest split in mind makes thought forms (gives birth to ego)
(3) Almost automatic state of reconciliation

Second cycle
(3) Almost automatic state of reconciliation
(4) Stronger split mind makes earthly forms (ego creates body awareness)
(5) Relative peace aided by angels

Third cycle
(5) Relative peace aided by angels
(6) Strongest split mind (desperate all out attack of ego; 666 or "devil") makes hell
(7) Final fullness of peace (the Christ state of being; 777)

Three cycles of  three.  Nine innings, three outs per inning, three strikes per strike out?  Nine players on each team's lineup? Does our holy spirit use baseball to trigger inside our minds ancient memories of what is really going on but is not visible to our earthly eyes?

Perhaps baseball teaches us there is escape from the world of pain, sickness, suffering and death. "Take me out to the ballgame ... I don't care if I ever get back ... for it's root, root, root for the home team!"

Maybe Americans will begin to see a better world as the baseball season gets underway and Americans begin to feel the message of baseball.

Feel it ... the fun and exciting atmosphere of the baseball park, the vibrant green field beautifully laid out with cleanly raked base paths and fresh white chalk lines, heroic athletes giving it their all in bright red or white or blue (or sometimes red, white, and blue) uniforms. The message is in essence the same as the message of Jesus, isn't it?

"There is no place for hell within a world whose loveliness can yet be so intense and so inclusive it is but a step from there to Heaven. To your tired eyes I bring a vision of a different world, so new and clean and fresh you will forget the pain and sorrow that you saw before." (ACIM Chap. 31)

Each month our Holy Spirit gives a message of prophetic revelation which helps individuals open spiritually and understand Jesus' teaching.

If you would like to receive an email each month containing a link to the latest message from our Holy Spirit, please email us with "ADD" in the subject line: holyinstant@aol.com

"...nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you. (Luke 17:21)

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