34th Day of Lent – Preparing for Transfiguration

Jesus incarnated to show us the Way to our own personal ascension into higher consciousness … to lead us along the Path to becoming a Christed being—an anointed one. Each of the five major stages in Jesus’ life depict our own journey into spiritual adulthood. His birth signifies our spiritual awakening to the Christ energy within us. nnnnThe Divine Self (Elizabeth Claire Prophet)n nHeretofore, I have referred to the middle figure in the Divine Self Illustration as the Higher, Intuitive Mind. Metaphysicians often call the middle figure “the Christ Self”—that part of us that is the evolving “only begotten Son/Daughter of God.” Thus the birth of Jesus symbolizes that time in which we give birth to the recognition of Christ within us. nnJesus’ baptism reveals far more than the physical act of baptism with water. “If a man is not born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5) By the time we are truly baptized with the water and the Spirit, we have gained dominion over our emotional (watery) nature. We have purified our lower emotional and mental natures to the point where no longer are there pockets of anger, failure to forgive, jealousy, revenge, or any other negative emotion polluting our auric field. Our thoughts are purified of greed, self-aggrandizement, grasping affection, and an ego that considers self, first and foremost. nnThe physical act of baptism does not purify our emotional and mental natures. That is work we must do … we must release negative emotions and replace them with their positive counterpart … we must release the negative thoughts and replace them with positive, affirming thoughts. It is only as we do so that we are worthy of having the Holy Spirit descend upon us (signified by the Dove seen in the illustration just above the middle figure) and to hear the words of the Father (our I AM PRESENCE), “This is my beloved Son/Daughter, with whom I am pleased.” (Matthew 3:17) It is at this point that we are truly born of water and the Spirit.nnOnce we are born of water and the Spirit, the real work begins. Immediately after his baptism, “Jesus was carried away by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” Jesus’ 40 days fast began. Likewise, we are sent out into a world that can be overpowering with its temptations and the need to discern the subtle differences between ego (the lower self) vs Ego (or Christ Self) centered behavior---both in ourselves and in others. nnThe Lenten Devotionals thus far have been to assist us in self-evaluation and learning to discern truth from non-truth. They have encouraged us to open to the truth of who we truly are … who Jesus truly is … and the role Jesus plays in our own spiritual journey. As long as we insist on worshipping Jesus and viewing ourselves as “sinners, nothing but dust, separated from God, and expect Jesus to do it all for us, we stagnate on our spiritual path. nnTo be “born of water and the Spirit” means we claim our divine inner power … we live our lives with the intention of moving ever-forward on the narrow path to ascension into higher consciousness … we are open to the Holy Spirit’s guidance into all Truth … we recognize that we are the temple of God---our I AM PRESENCE … that we are child-gods following the teachings of our Way Shower into the Christed Consciousness.nnNothing less can prepare us for Transfiguration. Now is the time to review all of the Lenten Devotionals. Are we ready to be transfigured? Are we ready to make our triumphant entrance into Jerusalem, the City of Peace? nnFor there, more hard work awaits us.