T-15.XI:Christmas as the End of Sacrifice

1. 1Fear not to recognize the whole idea of sacrifice as solely of your making. 2And seek not safety by attempting to protect yourself from where it is not. 3Your brothers and your Father have become very fearful to you. 4And you would bargain with them for a few special relationships, in which you think you see some scraps of safety. 5Do not try longer to keep apart your thoughts and the Thought that has been given you. 6When they are brought together and perceived where they are, the choice between them is nothing more than a gentle awakening, and as simple as opening your eyes to daylight when you have no more need of sleep.

2. 1The sign of Christmas is a star, a light in darkness. 2See it not outside yourself, but shining in the Heaven within, and accept it as the sign the time of Christ has come. 3He comes demanding nothing. 4No sacrifice of any kind, of anyone, is asked by Him. 5In His Presence the whole idea of sacrifice loses all meaning. 6For He is Host to God. 7And you need but invite Him in Who is there already, by recognizing that His Host is One, and no thought alien to His Oneness can abide with Him there. 8Love must be total to give Him welcome, for the Presence of Holiness creates the holiness that surrounds it. 9No fear can touch the Host Who cradles God in the time of Christ, for the Host is as holy as the perfect Innocence which He protects, and Whose power protects Him.

3. 1This Christmas give the Holy Spirit everything that would hurt you. 2Let yourself be healed completely that you may join with Him in healing, and let us celebrate our release together by releasing everyone with us. 3Leave nothing behind, for release is total, and when you have accepted it with me you will give it with me. 4All pain and sacrifice and littleness will disappear in our relationship, which is as innocent as our relationship with our Father, and as powerful. 5Pain will be brought to us and disappear in our presence, and without pain there can be no sacrifice. 6And without sacrifice there love must be.

4. 1You who believe that sacrifice is love must learn that sacrifice is separation from love. 2For sacrifice brings guilt as surely as love brings peace. 3Guilt is the condition of sacrifice, as peace is the condition for the awareness of your relationship with God. 4Through guilt you exclude your Father and your brothers from yourself. 5Through peace you invite them back, realizing that they are where your invitation bids them be. 6What you exclude from yourself seems fearful, for you endow it with fear and try to cast it out, though it is part of you. 7Who can perceive part of himself as loathsome, and live within himself in peace? 8And who can try to resolve the “conflict” of Heaven and hell in him by casting Heaven out and giving it the attributes of hell, without experiencing himself as incomplete and lonely?

5. 1As long as you perceive the body as your reality, so long will you perceive yourself as lonely and deprived. 2And so long will you also perceive yourself as a victim of sacrifice, justified in sacrificing others. 3For who could thrust Heaven and its Creator aside without a sense of sacrifice and loss? 4And who could suffer sacrifice and loss without attempting to restore himself? 5Yet how could you accomplish this yourself, when the basis of your attempts is the belief in the reality of the deprivation? 6Deprivation breeds attack, being the belief that attack is justified. 7And as long as you would retain the deprivation, attack becomes salvation and sacrifice becomes love.

6. 1So is it that, in all your seeking for love, you seek for sacrifice and find it. 2Yet you find not love. 3It is impossible to deny what love is and still recognize it. 4The meaning of love lies in what you have cast outside yourself, and it has no meaning apart from you. 5It is what you prefer to keep that has no meaning, while all that you would keep away holds all the meaning of the universe, and holds the universe together in its meaning. 6Unless the universe were joined in you it would be apart from God, and to be without Him is to be without meaning.

7. 1In the holy instant the condition of love is met, for minds are joined without the body’s interference, and where there is communication there is peace. 2The Prince of Peace was born to re-establish the condition of love by teaching that communication remains unbroken even if the body is destroyed, provided that you see not the body as the necessary means of communication. 3And if you understand this lesson, you will realize that to sacrifice the body is to sacrifice nothing, and communication, which must be of the mind, cannot be sacrificed. 4Where, then, is sacrifice? 5The lesson I was born to teach, and still would teach to all my brothers, is that sacrifice is nowhere and love is everywhere. 6For communication embraces everything, and in the peace it re-establishes, love comes of itself.

8. 1Let no despair darken the joy of Christmas, for the time of Christ is meaningless apart from joy. 2Let us join in celebrating peace by demanding no sacrifice of anyone, for so you offer me the love I offer you. 3What can be more joyous than to perceive we are deprived of nothing? 4Such is the message of the time of Christ, which I give you that you may give it and return it to the Father, Who gave it to me. 5For in the time of Christ communication is restored, and He joins us in the celebration of His Son’s creation.

9. 1God offers thanks to the holy host who would receive Him, and lets Him enter and abide where He would be. 2And by your welcome does He welcome you into Himself, for what is contained in you who welcome Him is returned to Him. 3And we but celebrate His Wholeness as we welcome Him into ourselves. 4Those who receive the Father are one with Him, being host to Him Who created them. 5And by allowing Him to enter, the remembrance of the Father enters with Him, and with Him they remember the only relationship they ever had, and ever want to have.

10. 1This is the time in which a new year will soon be born from the time of Christ. 2I have perfect faith in you to do all that you would accomplish. 3Nothing will be lacking, and you will make complete and not destroy. 4Say, then, to your brother:

5I give you to the Holy Spirit as part of myself.
 6I know that you will be released, unless I want to use you to imprison myself.
 7In the name of my freedom I choose your release, because I recognize that we will be released together.

8So will the year begin in joy and freedom. 9There is much to do, and we have been long delayed. 10Accept the holy instant as this year is born, and take your place, so long left unfulfilled, in the Great Awakening. 11Make this year different by making it all the same. 12And let all your relationships be made holy for you. 13This is our will. 14Amen.

1. 鼓起勇气来！承认这个牺牲观念全都是你自己编造出来的。
试着不再借用子虚乌有之物来保护自己的安全。
否则，弟兄与天父对你会变得十分可怕。
你企图跟他们建立特殊关系，并且讨价还价，指望那样会给你一点安全感。
别再执迷不悟地把自己的意念与上主赐你的圣念分藏两地。
若能把它们同置一处而看清它们不同的源头，你就不会举棋不定；好似睡饱之后面向晨光张开眼睛，悠然苏醒过来。
2. 星光是圣诞节的标志，象征黑暗中的光明。
不要向身外去找，而应从自己心内学会看到天堂之光，把它当成基督时辰已至的标志。
基督来到人间，没有任何要求。
祂不曾要求任何人作任何牺牲。
整个牺牲观念在基督的临在下顿失其义。
因为祂是上主神圣的居所。
祂其实一直临在于此，等着你的邀请；换句话说，你必须先认清祂只有一个居所，凡是不识这“唯一”的任何念头，都无法与祂安住于那一居所。
唯有毫无保留的爱才能邀祂前来，因为只有祂的神圣临在方能造出这一神圣性来护守此爱。
在基督的时辰里，恐惧便无法侵入那孕育上主的居所，因为这居所和祂所护守的纯洁无罪一般神圣，而祂的大能即是祂的保护。
3. 趁此圣诞佳节，把凡是有害于你的都交托给圣灵吧。
让自己彻底的疗愈，你才能加入祂的疗愈行列；让我们一起释放所有的人，共同庆祝我们的解脱。
不要遗漏任何一人，因解脱必是全面的，只要你愿与我一起领受，就能与我一起给出这一礼物。
所有的痛苦、牺牲与卑微都会从我们的关系中消逝，使我们的关系与我们和天父的关系一样纯洁无罪，一样充满能力。
痛苦会来到我们面前，然后在我们眼前消逝；没有痛苦，牺牲便无以立足。
没有牺牲，爱便现身了。
4. 由于你还相信“牺牲就是爱”，故你必须学习看出“牺牲等于自绝于爱”。
因牺牲必会带来罪咎，好比爱必然带来平安，是同样的道理。
罪咎是牺牲的先决条件，有如平安是帮你觉于天人关系的必备条件。
罪咎会使你把天父与弟兄一并逐出身外。
唯有平安才能将他们一起迎回，那时你会恍然大悟，原来他们一直都在你祈望他们莅临之处。
凡是被你驱逐于外之物，都会显得十分可怕，因你必已把它看成是可怕的，才会将它摒斥于外；其实，它是你生命的一部分。
有谁会嫌恶自己某一部分，却还活得怡然自得？
你若为了解决天堂与地狱在你心中的“冲突”而不惜把天堂驱逐于外，甚至把它变得像地狱一般，你岂能不感到生命的残缺和孤独？
5. 只要你还把身体当成自己的生命，不会不感到孤独而且饱受欺压的。
你一旦把自己看成是他人的牺牲品，自然会理直气壮地牺牲别人。
抛弃了天堂及造物主的人，内心怎么可能不生出牺牲与失落之感？
深受牺牲与失落之苦的人，岂能不设法扳回一城？
但你既然认定自己是被欺压的一族，哪有扳回劣势的能耐？
受人欺压的感觉必会滋生攻击之念，甚至认为反击是天经地义的事。
只要你感到受人剥削，攻击就成了你的救恩，牺牲反倒更像真爱了。
6. 于是，你以为自己在追寻爱，找到的却是牺牲。
你不会找到爱的。
因你已否定了爱，又怎么可能认出爱来？
爱的真谛其实一直藏在你所抛弃之物里头，爱一旦成了你的身外之物，便失去了意义。
你宁可死守着那些无意义之物，殊不知被你弃于身外之物藏有宇宙所有的意义，而且整个宇宙都得靠这意义来维系自身的完整。
除非整个宇宙与你结合，否则它就会沦落于上主之外，凡是沦落于上主之外的，便失去了存在的意义。
7. 唯有神圣一刻具足了爱所要求的条件，因为身体再也无法从中作梗，心灵便自然回归一体；何处恢复了交流，平安就在何处现身。
和平之君诞生人间，就是帮你具足爱的条件；他教你明白，即使身体毁灭了，天人的交流依旧永恒不断，只要你不再把身体当作交流的必然媒介。
你一旦学会这一课，自然就明白身体的牺牲根本称不上牺牲；而交流属于心灵层次，是不可能被牺牲的。
那么，还有何牺牲可言？
我诞生人间，就是要告诉所有的弟兄：“没有牺牲，只有爱。”
天人交流是无所不容的，平安一旦重现，爱便自然现身了。
8. 不要让绝望的阴影掩盖了圣诞的欢乐，因为没有欢乐，基督的时辰便失去了意义。
愿我们同心庆祝平安的到来，不再要求任何人牺牲，这才表示你学会了以爱还爱。
没有人剥夺得了我们任何东西，还有什么比这一领悟更令人欢欣的？
这就是基督的时辰带给人的喜讯，上主将它赐给了我，我把它转赠于你，你再分享给人，最后一起回归天父那里。
在基督的时辰里，天人一旦恢复交流，天父便会与我们一起庆祝圣子的创造。
9. 上主由衷感谢接待祂的这一神圣居所，使祂得以进入且安住于祂一心想要临在之处。
因着你的欢迎，上主才能欢迎你进入祂的生命，活在你内的那一位，也因而在欢迎祂之际回归了上主。
我们欢迎上主进入自己的生命，等于是在庆祝祂的圆满生命。
凡是接受天父的人，已与祂合一而成了造物主的居所。
凡是欢迎上主之人，必会忆起自己的天父；因着天父的临在，他们开始忆起自己拥有的唯一关系，也是渴望已久的关系。
10. 新的一年会在这一圣诞佳节由基督的时辰诞生。
我全然信任你必会全力以赴完成你的理想。
你从此一无所缺，不伤众生，只愿玉成一切。
你会向你的弟兄这样说：
我把你当作自己的一部分，交托给圣灵。
我知道你终会得到解脱，只要我不利用你来囚禁我自己。
为了我的自由之故，我决心释放你，因为我已明白，我们只能同时释放，同获自由。
如此，我们会在喜乐与自由之中开始新的一年。
该做的事情很多，我们已经耽搁太久了。
在一年之始，接受神圣的一刻吧，重新肩负起你荒废已久的觉醒大业。
让我们以“同等”的心对待一切，而使这一年有所“不同”。
让你所有的关系都转化为神圣关系。
这就是我们今年的大愿。
阿们。
1.犧牲的觀念全是你營造的，不要害怕承認這點。
也不要企圖在沒有犧牲的地方自我保護，以求取安穩。
在你眼裡，你的弟兄和你的天父顯得相當可怖。
而你寧可為了一點特殊關係就和他們討價還價，以為你能藉此見到芥子般的安穩。
別再費力區隔你的念頭與上天賜你的聖念了。
一旦你把它們放在一塊兒，並看清它們之所在，就必會選擇溫柔地醒來，而你的選擇也將如睜開雙眼、望見黎明一般單純，因為你已無需再睡。
2.星子象徵著聖誕，亦即黑暗裏的光明。
別往身外去找，而要看見它在你內的天堂閃閃發亮，並接納它為基督的時辰已然來臨的標誌。
祂的來臨一無所求。
祂不要任何人做出任何型態的犧牲。
在祂的臨在下，犧牲的觀念頓時失去了所有意義。
因為祂是上主的東道。
而你只需認清祂的東道是一，而你的念頭若與祂的一體性相違背，就無法與祂同行，如此你便可邀請祂進入，而祂一直都在。
只有全然的愛才可迎接祂，因為神聖性的臨在創造了它四周的神聖性。
恐懼對這東道毫無影響，在那基督的時辰，祂也撐持著上主，因為祂和受祂護衛的完美純潔一樣神聖，後者的大能亦護衛著祂。
3.在這個聖誕節，把一切會傷害到你的都交給聖靈吧。
讓你自己徹底地療癒吧，以便與祂一同給出療癒，而我們也要釋放每個人和自己，藉此慶祝我們的解脫。
什麼也別留下，因為解脫是全然的，而你若與我一同接納它，就能與我一同給出它。
所有的痛苦、犧牲、與渺小都會從我們的關係消失，因為它已和我們與天父的關係一般純潔、一般有力。
痛苦會被帶來，並消失於我們的臨在，而少了痛苦，犧牲就不復存在。
而少了犧牲，愛必然會在。
4.你以為犧牲就是愛，但你得學會犧牲乃是自絕於愛。
因為犧牲必會帶來罪咎，一如愛必會帶來平安。
有了罪咎，才有犧牲，一如有了平安，你才可覺知到你與上主的關係。
藉著罪咎，你已把天父與自己的弟兄排除在你之外。
藉著平安，你邀請他們回來，從而發覺他們就在你邀請他們回來的地方。
只要是被排除出去的，就會顯得可怖，因為你賦予了它們恐懼，又試圖加以拋棄，即便它們仍是你的一部分。
誰能把自己的一部分視為惹人嫌惡，還在他內活出平安？
誰又能拋棄天堂，並把地獄的特徵賦予給它，以此解決自身之內二者的「衝突」，而不經驗到自身的不完滿和孤單？
5.只要你仍把身體視為自己的實相，就無法不把自己視為孤單且受人剝奪。
而你也會把自己視為犧牲者和受害者，進而理直氣壯地犧牲他人。
畢竟，誰能把天堂及其造物扔在一旁，而不感到犧牲與失落？
而那些遭逢犧牲與失落的人難道不想恢復？
但你的努力若取決於把剝奪信以為真，你又怎能恢復？
剝奪會滋生攻擊，因為這麼做便是相信攻擊可以自圓其說。
而只要你仍想留住剝奪，攻擊就成了救恩，而犧牲則成了愛。
6.為此之故，你雖然四處找愛，找的和找到的卻是犧牲。
然而你找不到愛。
一旦否定了愛的本質，就不可能認出它來。
愛的意義就隱含在被你拋棄於外的事物中，而它一旦離開你，就會失去意義。
你樂於保留的都不具意義，而那為你排拒的一切則蘊含了宇宙的一切意義，還以此維繫了宇宙的合一。
除非宇宙已結合於你內，否則它就會遠離上主，而失去了上主，就會失去意義。
7.在神聖的一刻中，愛的要件已被滿全，因為心靈的結合已不受身體干擾，且哪兒有交流，那兒就有平安。
平安之主誕生了，他要重新確立愛的要件，因為他會教人身體即使毀壞，交流仍在持續，只要你不把身體視為必需的交流工具。
而你若了解這一道理，就會發覺犧牲身體不啻是犧牲虛無，而交流必然屬於心靈，所以也無法被犧牲。
那麼，哪兒還有犧牲？
我生來就要教導，且至今仍在教導所有弟兄的，就是哪兒都沒有犧牲，而只有愛。
因為交流懷抱著一切，並重新確立了平安，以使愛自行出現。
8.別讓絕望遮蔽了聖誕的喜樂，因為基督的時辰一失去喜樂，就會了無意義。
讓我們別再要求任何人做出犧牲，以便一同慶祝平安的到來，因為這是在獻給我我獻給你的愛。
豈有比看清「我們一點也不受剝奪」更令人喜樂的事？
這一福音出自基督的時辰，而我將它給了你，以便你能給出去並還給天父，因為給了我的正是祂。
在那基督的時辰，交流已然恢復，而祂也會和我們一同慶祝聖子的創生。
9.上主對那神聖的東道報以感激，只因他接納了祂，並令祂入內，於祂所願之處安居。
藉著你的迎接，祂亦會迎接你進入祂內，因為一旦如此，你內的一切就會被歸還給祂。
而迎接祂進入我們中則不過是在慶祝祂的圓滿。
一旦接納了天父作為自己的造物，便可成為祂的東道，進而與祂合一。
一旦允許天父進入，祂的記憶就會與祂一同進入，而祂的臨在則會使你憶起自己唯一擁有、也唯一渴求的關係。
10.此刻，新的一年即將誕生，而它出自基督的時辰。
我對你抱以完美的信心，因為你必能完成你想完成的事。
你什麼也不缺，而你也將使人完滿，而非毀滅。
那麼，就對自己的弟兄說：
我把你交給聖靈，作為我的一部分。
我知道你將會解脫，除非我想利用你來囚禁我自己。
以解脫之名，我選擇讓你自由，因為我已認清我們將一同解脫。
那麼，這一年就會在喜樂與自由之中開啟。
還有好多要做的，我們已耽擱了許久。
新年伊始，接受那神聖的一刻吧，加入那偉大的覺醒，那是早該實現的。
只要讓這一年趨於相同，就能讓它有所不同。
讓上天為你聖化你所有的關係吧。
這就是我們的心願。
阿門。