Dear Miracle Workers,

In 2002 Catch Me If You Can, a film by Steven Spielberg and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, was released. The movie was based on a real life con artist who was expert at outsmarting law enforcement. The ego is much like our protagonist in this movie. The ego seeks to constantly play the con game with us through a multitude of deceptions. These deceptions seem so real! We experience an argument in one of our relationships. We turn on the news and our sacred democratic institutions seem to be under assault. We experience people dying due to a once in a century pandemic. The ego/con is serving up the drama of deception. How do we know?

A Course in Miracles tells us "I must have decided wrongly, because I am not at peace." (OrEd.Tx.5.96) We can tell when we are upset, sad, anxious or any of the myriad ways of not being at peace. Jesus challenges us to out the con of this thought system by observing our reactions to all external stimuli! This is simple but not easy for most of us. We know on some level this is a con that we are perpetuating on ourselves, "The secret of salvation is but this: that you are doing this unto yourself." (OrEd.Tx.27.86) This is an amazing insight, but it's difficult to understand when we are in the middle of the ego con. What to do then?

Well, we ask for help in exposing the ego's cons. We ask Jesus for the miracle with great desire or as much desire as possible. As we do this more and more, we begin to see the cons faster and heal them more quickly. A Course in Miracles reminds us what Jesus would have us do, "He bids you bring each terrible effect to Him that you may look together on its foolish cause and laugh with Him a while." (OrEd.Tx.27.85) Join with Jesus by laughing at the con with him and you will experience the miracle and the love of God.

(originally published in Miracles Weekly #269, Jan. 14, 2021)

Dear A Course in Miracles Students,

At times a thought occurs to me related to my spiritual life. As you are probably aware, many of us are part of the Community Miracles Centers' Healing Team that is coached by Reverend Tony. He often comments on our ability to heal ourselves, and heal others as part of our purpose as Miracle Workers. Naturally, prayer is the medium of this healing endeavor. I was recently curious about what A Course in Miracles said about prayer. I was guided to go to the The Song of Prayer pamphlet. I was shocked when I read the first line. "Prayer is the greatest gift with which God blessed his Son at his creation." (S-1.in.1.1) Wow, I was struck by this. I wasn’t expecting this. If I had been asked "What was the greatest gift of God to his Sons/Daughters?" I would have said love, peace, innocence, oneness of God’s presence in our minds. After thinking about it, the obvious reason for this became apparent. "Endless the harmony, and endless,too,the joyous concord of the Love They give forever to Each Other." (S-1.in.1.3) Prayer is the gateway to miracles. Prayer removes the obstacles to our natural state with God in Heaven. We cannot access this state of mind without our intention and desire to join with God. This state cannot be described in words but only experienced. Prayer lifts us above the ego’s battlefield and returns us to our Grandeur. Nothing can impede us from our love, innocence, peace, and joy. Let us pray now, always, and often. After all it is God's greatest gift!

(originally published in Miracles Weekly #262, Oct. 14, 2020)