LESSON 134

Let me perceive forgiveness as it is.
Forgiveness is not an unfair sacrifice or righteous wrath, a gift unjustified and undeserved, and a complete denial of the truth.
Forgiveness is irrelevant to everything except illusions. What you are forgiving is the illusion, and forgiving yourself for believing the illusion as truth. The problem is that you find it difficult to arrive at genuine forgiveness because you still believe you must forgive the truth, and not illusions. You believe that forgiveness is a vain attempt to look past what is there; to overlook the truth.

Because you think your sins are real, you look on pardon as deception. If sins are real and you forgive them, that's like saying the corrupt are blameless as grass and as white as snow. Forgiveness is delusional. It would see the loathsome as good. Those who are forgiven from the view their sins are real are mocked and twice condemned; first, by themselves for what they think they did, and once again by those who pardon them.

It is sin's unreality that makes forgiveness natural and wholly sane, a deep relief to those who offer it; a quiet blessing where it is received. It does not countenance illusions, but collects them lightly, with a little laugh, and gently lays them at the feet of truth. And there they disappear entirely.

Forgiveness is the only thing that stands for truth in the illusions of the world. It sees their nothingness, and looks straight through the thousand forms in which they may appear. It looks on lies, but it is not deceived. it does not heed the self-accusing shrieks of sinners mad with guilt. It looks on them with quiet eyes, and merely says to them, "My brother, what you think is not the truth."

The strength of pardon is its honesty, which is so uncorrupted that it sees illusions as illusions, not as truth. It is because of this that it becomes the undeceiver in the face of lies; the great restorer of the simple truth. By its ability to overlook what is not there, it opens up the way to truth, which has been blocked by dreams of guilt. Now are you free to follow in the way your true forgiveness opens up to you. For if one brother has received this gift of you, the door is open to yourself.

Their is a very simple way to find the door to true forgiveness, and perceive it open wide in welcome. When you feel that you are tempted to accuse someone of sin in any form, do not allow your mind to dwell on what you think he did, for that is self-deception. Ask instead, "Would I accuse myself of doing this?"

Lies condemn. In truth is innocence, the only thing there is. Forgiveness stands between illusions and the truth; between the world you see and that which lies beyond; between the hell of guilt and Heaven's gate.

Forgiveness must be practiced, for the world cannot perceive its meaning, nor provide a guide to teach you its benefits. Forgiveness is alien to this world.

Without delay, we practice true forgiveness today. We no longer delay freedom and peace.

Let me perceive forgiveness as it is. Would I accuse myself of doing this? I will not lay this chain upon myself. No one is crucified alone; and yet no one can enter Heaven by himself.