1. Look upon all the trinkets made to hang upon the body, or to cover it or for its use. 2See all the useless things made for its eyes to see. 3Think on the many offerings made for its pleasure, and remember all these were made to make seem lovely what you hate. 4Would you employ this hated thing to draw your brother to you, and to attract his body’s eyes? 5Learn you but offer him a crown of thorns, not recognizing it for what it is, and trying to justify your own interpretation of its value by his acceptance. 6Yet still the gift proclaims his worthlessness to you, as his acceptance and delight acknowledges the lack of value he places on himself.
2. Gifts are not made through bodies, if they be truly given and received. 2For bodies can neither offer nor accept; hold out nor take. 3Only the mind can value, and only the mind decides on what it would receive and give. 4And every gift it offers depends on what it wants. 5It will adorn its chosen home most carefully, making it ready to receive the gifts it wants by offering them to those who come unto its chosen home, or those it would attract to it. 6And there they will exchange their gifts, offering and receiving what their minds judge to be worthy of them.
3. Each gift is an evaluation of the receiver and the giver. 2No one but sees his chosen home as an altar to himself. 3No one but seeks to draw to it the worshippers of what he placed upon it, making it worthy of their devotion. 4And each has set a light upon his altar, that they may see what he has placed upon it and take it for their own. 5Here is the value that you lay upon your brother and on yourself. 6Here is your gift to both; your judgment on the Son of God for what he is. 7Forget not that it is your savior to whom the gift is offered. 8Offer him thorns and you are crucified. 9Offer him lilies and it is yourself you free.
4. I have great need for lilies, for the Son of God has not forgiven me. 2And can I offer him forgiveness when he offers thorns to me? 3For he who offers thorns to anyone is against me still, and who is whole without him? 4Be you his friend for me, that I may be forgiven and you may look upon the Son of God as whole. 5But look you first upon the altar in your chosen home, and see what you have laid upon it to offer me. 6If it be thorns whose points gleam sharply in a blood-red light, the body is your chosen home and it is separation that you offer me. 7And yet the thorns are gone. 8Look you still closer at them now, and you will see your altar is no longer what it was.
5. You look still with the body’s eyes, and they can see but thorns. 2Yet you have asked for and received another sight. 3Those who accept the Holy Spirit’s purpose as their own share also His vision. 4And what enables Him to see His purpose shine forth from every altar now is yours as well as His. 5He sees no strangers; only dearly loved and loving friends. 6He sees no thorns but only lilies, gleaming in the gentle glow of peace that shines on everything He looks upon and loves.
6. This Easter, look with different eyes upon your brother. 2You have forgiven me. 3And yet I cannot use your gift of lilies while you see them not. 4Nor can you use what I have given unless you share it. 5The Holy Spirit’s vision is no idle gift, no plaything to be tossed about a while and laid aside. 6Listen and hear this carefully, nor think it but a dream, a careless thought to play with, or a toy you would pick up from time to time and then put by. 7For if you do, so will it be to you.
7. You have the vision now to look past all illusions. 2It has been given you to see no thorns, no strangers and no obstacles to peace. 3The fear of God is nothing to you now. 4Who is afraid to look upon illusions, knowing his savior stands beside him? 5With him, your vision has become the greatest power for the undoing of illusion that God Himself could give. 6For what God gave the Holy Spirit, you have received. 7The Son of God looks unto you for his release. 8For you have asked for and been given the strength to look upon this final obstacle, and see no thorns nor nails to crucify the Son of God, and crown him king of death.
8. Your chosen home is on the other side, beyond the veil. 2It has been carefully prepared for you, and it is ready to receive you now. 3You will not see it with the body’s eyes. 4Yet all you need you have. 5Your home has called to you since time began, nor have you ever failed entirely to hear. 6You heard, but knew not how to look, nor where. 7And now you know. 8In you the knowledge lies, ready to be unveiled and freed from all the terror that kept it hidden. 9There is no fear in love. 10The song of Easter is the glad refrain the Son of God was never crucified. 11Let us lift up our eyes together, not in fear but faith. 12And there will be no fear in us, for in our vision will be no illusions; only a pathway to the open door of Heaven, the home we share in quietness and where we live in gentleness and peace, as one together.
9. Would you not have your holy brother lead you there? 2His innocence will light your way, offering you its guiding light and sure protection, and shining from the holy altar within him where you laid the lilies of forgiveness. 3Let him be to you the savior from illusions, and look on him with the new vision that looks upon the lilies and brings you joy. 4We go beyond the veil of fear, lighting each other’s way. 5The holiness that leads us is within us, as is our home. 6So will we find what we were meant to find by Him Who leads us.
10. This is the way to Heaven and to the peace of Easter, in which we join in glad awareness that the Son of God is risen from the past, and has awakened to the present. 2Now is he free, unlimited in his communion with all that is within him. 3Now are the lilies of his innocence untouched by guilt, and perfectly protected from the cold chill of fear and withering blight of sin alike. 4Your gift has saved him from the thorns and nails, and his strong arm is free to guide you safely through them and beyond. 5Walk with him now rejoicing, for the savior from illusions has come to greet you, and lead you home with him.
11. Here is your savior and your friend, released from crucifixion through your vision, and free to lead you now where he would be. 2He will not leave you, nor forsake the savior in his pain. 3And gladly will you and your brother walk the way of innocence together, singing as you behold the open door of Heaven and recognize the home that called to you. 4Give joyously to your brother the freedom and the strength to lead you there. 5And come before his holy altar where the strength and freedom wait, to offer and receive the bright awareness that leads you home. 6The lamp is lit in you for your brother. 7And by the hands that gave it to him shall you be led past fear to love.