Every day, in every land and every nation, new souls arrive to join the vast and diverse human kingdom. Bathed in Divinity’s Light, and pure of heart, these determined souls assume a bodily form; and animate it with energies of resilience and curiosity.
As they adjust to familiar material surroundings, they remain cognizant of the greater spiritual reality. This temporal expression of being human, which places them in complete dependence upon another, is not viewed with abhorrence; but, rather silent amusement.
Some will retain this insight throughout their lives, always remembering the true reality of Soul. Many others will forget, chafing against the restraints of dependency, ever seeking separation, independence, fueling a glamorous illusion of freedom.
Neither they nor their care-takers know, with any certainty, what their lives will become. Future possibilities are always framed in a capacity to dream, a willingness to remember.
Ask any toddler where God lives. Religious upbringing and cultural heritage are immaterial; the color of their skin an intentional tool of awakening. With contagious exuberance and surprising spontaneity, they will gesture wildly into the air all around them; then, with profound solemnity, touch their hearts.
God Transcendent and God Immanent, a recognizable eternal truth. Uncorrupted, as yet, newly arriving souls still hear the silent whispers of the angels guiding them forwards. Their minds and hearts are alive with faith; at this moment in their journey, fear is an alien, unknown concept.
With experience and the passage of time, some will fall into lives of silent desperation, painful resentments. Others will walk through life with confidence and grace. Some lives will appear to be cut short, as others stretch past the centurion mark. Wealthy, poverty-stricken, adventuresome, risk-adverse, ruled by theatrics or drama-free, each of these lives has a duty, a purpose, a special place in the evolving heart of Humanity.
Each new generation of souls carries into the material plane a checklist of change. As part of a newly arrived global group, they are here to participate in an untried vision of human life, each in their own way and their own place. Like leaves on a tree, or grains of sand on a beach, each soul adds to the richness and wholeness of evolving life.
When change is resisted, deep-seated tensions between opposing points of view uncoil and begin to congeal; hidden pockets of subterranean turmoil become exposed. As this clash intensifies and the noise becomes louder, opportunistic forces rush in to capitalize on vulnerabilities revealed.
Light dims, as selfishness garners more control; and potent evil escapes, washing across a human landscape immobilized by confusion. Civil society continues in a downward spiral, eventually fracturing into chaos; and the sublime power of law is then supplanted with the aggressive law of power. Such is our current reality. Not our future world.
Just as farmers the world over know the value of separating natural food from the detritus, so too are we, Humanity, called upon to separate the headache-inducing noise presently surrounding the planet from the persistent, enduring truths of human existence.
The following words can be found in the Preamble of the United Nations Charter: “We the peoples of the United Nations determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind; and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the equal rights of men and women, to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another …, to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security, to ensure by the acceptance of principles that armed forces shall not be used…”.
These enlightened words, written in the last century, have found in Humanity’s reactions both failures and successes; yet, they have served a vital evolutionary purpose: to awaken humankind, en masse, to the profound spiritual reality of one planet, one human race.
As such, these words tilled the soil of human consciousness in planetary preparation for the idea of One Life, collective growth throughever cycling, ever evolving.
This developing awareness amongst human beings, in every corner of the world, is a direct and beneficent result of the work of angels. Living souls who hold fast to the eternal continuity of all life by remembering duty, purpose, and place.
Angels can be found everywhere in this world. In the sub-zero temperatures of Minnesota, in the perilous streets of Tehran, in the dangerous ice-covered fields of Ukraine; and in so many other places around the world; people not flashed across an evening news channel, determined souls who are pushing back against the destructive forces of evil. Young and old, rich and poor, yet, all sharing a common value, a central belief in the dignity of life and every human.
There are angels amongst us, both visible and invisible. In the deep of night, when troubled and sleep seems an unattainable goal, quiet your mind and listen. Within the warm silence you will hear whispers of courage and grace guiding you towards rightness. You know what is right, what is wrong. Compassion and action defeat fear; and honor always conquers corrupted intent.
When you hear the malevolent ramblings of one bellicose voice, think of the millions of other voices speaking clearly: truth to power, kindness to cruelty, and unity to division.
One angry voice, surrounded by an unstable entourage of cowardly enablers, is a miniscule part of the unconquerable whole of Humanity. A protective cosmic chorus of lighted encouragement encircles this planet, enabling hope to thrive and the will-to-good to birth deep roots. Push aside the raucous noise of selfishness; and listen to the music of life and of human aspiration.
Two thousand years ago when a great presence walked the earth and spoke of “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” narrow streets were paved with dirt, homes were built with thatch and dried mud, human beings were struggling to survive.
As centuries passed living standards slowly improved, civil societies were formed around the rule of law, and education began to expand towards the notion of inclusion. Wonderment and curiosity led to innumerable scientific achievements. Creativity birthed an explosion of ideas in the arts. Music, textures, colors, and words became tools of communicative exchange as fresh, innovative frontiers of relationships were explored.
Public institutions stood as guardians of unity and knowledge with towering doors wide open to everyone. Schools, libraries, and public universities came to represent promise and previews of possibilities. Public service symbolized an ethical calling, an honorable endeavor; not a cavern leading downward into greed, power.
As nations recognized common concerns and shared, core beliefs, alliances were formed; and dialogues on an international scale replaced impulsive aggressions leading to violence. Human beings began to think, before speaking. Common sense, reason, and measured tones became the norms of global intercourse.
This approach worked for many, but not for all. Humanity lost sight of purpose: to help everyone move out of darkness and into daylight. Today, homelessness, poverty, disease, and illiteracy still claim millions of suffering dreamless human lives waiting to be seen, waiting for promised aid to arrive.
Grabbing solely for one’s small self is an empty exercise in futility. As quickly as you claim ownership over material, money, power, influence, or control, they can, and often do, evaporate into thin air. Bereavement over lost wealth and power is a fool’s errand. Realizing that the well of emptiness inside cannot be filled outside is the far greater gift. Fill up with that which endures and knows and loves.
Every human possesses the potential to shine light into darkness, especially within themselves. This is the higher meaning of the words, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Salvation has never sprung from without; rescue begins deep within, by remembering and dreaming.
An unexpected smile, a word of encouragement, a nudge towards courage, a peaceful protest, a bag of food, and a willingness to claim duty, purpose, and place can transform today’s reality.
When character is seen as the gold standard of human vision, an honorable life built on truth, service, and sacrifice is lovingly and quietly created. Surely, this is a goal worthy of every soul.
Look within and uncover your own footsteps of old. This is the pathway to the sacred; and the way of the angels. May we all rise up and join, as One, to meet this moment in our eternal quest towards spiritual truth.