You are an innocent child of the universe (A Course in Miracles)

"When you correct a brother, you are telling him that he is wrong. He may be making no sense at the time, and it is certain that, if he is speaking from the ego, he will not be making sense. But your task is still to tell him he is right." - A Course in Miracles

2020 is wrapping up. Wow, this year has been different in so many ways than what we could have ever imagined! And with a lot of us being currently in partial or full lockdown, this Christmas time will feel different as well. I still love the weeks that are leading up to Christmas and always will. This time of the year feels so special: The spirit of Christmas that is lingering in the air, the peace, the lights, the time we can make for contemplation now that days grow shorter. This time of the year always feels so cozy, hopeful, and magical.

And this time of the year always holds a special invitation for us. Often the things that are connected closely to Christmas are forgotten in the usual frenzy we usually experience. Maybe this time we are less likely to get distracted by the many Christmas to-dos because of Corona. So I was thinking that we could make the best of it and take some time to contemplate the origin of Christmas: We are celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. I always think of him around this time of year, what a beautiful soul he is and what he was trying to teach us.

I am not a body, I am innocent

Jesus is said to have died on the cross for our sins, which I cannot believe because "A Course in Miracles" says that we are all innocent. In Lesson 199 in the workbook of "A Course in Miracles“, we can find the following reminder of how to understand innocence other than the ego definition we are more familiar with: "Proclaim your innocence and you are free." But what does that mean exactly?

Well, to understand innocence the way "A Course in Miracles" teaches us, we need to be willing to accept a Truth about who we are other than the ego truth of this world. We can only deeply understand that we are innocent when we realize that we are not a body in an absolute sense, and when we apply this truth not only to ourselves but to every person (our brothers) we meet. Only what you are willing to give can be fully learned by you.

What does this principle mean for our everyday situations and encounters? It means that we — no matter what someone else does — always have the job to think higher of them. Beyond everything that we perceive with our physical senses, everyone still has an inner being, an inner light that cannot be dimmed, a consciousness that is purely and eternally innocent.

When we point out someone's faults on a human level, we are only confirming that level of consciousness, which is an illusion. Illusory (ego) thinking and acting can never be corrected on the level on which it was created. We need to draw on a higher consciousness inside ourselves to correct our perception.

Byron Katie: Innocence

Byron Katie says that when someone acts from their ego they are innocent because they don't understand what they are doing. And then this ties back to Jesus. Maybe now we can understand more deeply what he meant by saying: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.“

When people lack the awareness of another dimension of their being and act lovelessly as a consequence, they are innocent. And if you judge them for their unloving behavior, you only strengthen the belief that the ego is real. However, if you are willing to believe that both of you are innocent because that's your true nature, then you invite miracles to happen.

Being willing to look at your brother in that way will — first and foremost — bring you peace and joy. Don’t worry about turning into a doormat because you believe that there is more to life than meets the eye. This way of seeing the world does not make you weak, but strong.