© 2021 María José Sánchez Santamaría
© 2021 Urantia Association of Spain
“What happens in the life of Christ happens always and everywhere.” C. G. Jung
Once again, dear readers of this newsletter, we meet and reflect together on The Urantia Book and its amazing teachings. And once again, we are approaching Christmas dates. Massive parties, large expenses, noise, copious meals, clearly with an energy of expansion, focused on the senses and your enjoyment.
If the readers of The Urantia Book want to make a more collected reading of these dates, regardless of whether we know that Jesus of Nazareth was not born in December, we can delve into some images of the birth, on our planet, of the creator of the universe. The most amazing and unheard of event in the entire history of our planet.
To do this, I propose that you jump over the avalanche of news, the maelstrom of “current events”, since this is not thick: current events are flat, short, full of data, unconnected information that confuses our minds.
Since Marx we have known about the alienation that can be produced by the capitalist system over the work of the workers, but it turns out that now a new form of alienation is underway, more effective than ever, into which we are all submerged without any prevention.
The Internet network and screen technology fascinates and absorbs, and there is nothing or very little left for the intimate; everything is externalized, goes outside to be exhibited, and there is no return. That is precisely the definition of alienation: what leaves and no longer returns. We speak of a weakening of the spirit, of the personality, of oneself. We “externalize” ourselves and convert ourselves into data and images, the emergence of impersonal forces occurs.
Faced with this dogmatism of “current events” we propose that there is life beyond current events, the news offered by TV or social networks. Better said: there is only life beyond the fast present. There is life, freedom and thought. That is why it is good to consider offering a peaceful “resistance” against these dominant and divisive forces.
We want today not to be a slab, that its homogeneity does not suffocate us, but that there are free and creative spaces. Creative not only in the sense that something new appears, but also that this process involves an infinite and contagious personal transformation. In short, let’s recover our own word, personal reflection, calm and the helping hand, which leads us to the balm of our own center or nucleus. Creating such a space is what this newsletter from the Urantia Association of Spain is about.
So, this Christmas that is approaching, this is the good news that we can announce: an invitation to look at ourselves on the inside, and as a consequence, to change on the outside; an invitation to recover our center, our connection with the Thought Adjuster in our mind, as this will show wonderful fruits abroad.
These heavenly helpers are dedicated to the stupendous task of guiding you safely inward and upward to the celestial haven of happiness. These tireless toilers are consecrated to the future personification of the triumph of divine truth in your life everlasting. They are the watchful workers who pilot the God-conscious human mind away from the shoals of evil while expertly guiding the evolving soul of man toward the divine harbors of perfection on far-distant and eternal shores. (UB 110:1.2)
Once we are in the right setting, let’s briefly focus on these three different images that we can see in The Urantia Book about Christmas:
¶ 1. The father, Jose
Mary pondered this visitation secretly in her heart for many weeks until of a certainty she knew she was with child, before she dared to disclose these unusual events to her husband. When Joseph heard all about this, although he had great confidence in Mary, he was much troubled and could not sleep for many nights. (UB 122:3.2)
A man, a Jew named José, receives incredible news from his wife. The news is so shocking that he cannot sleep for days and spends days worrying. We can empathize with him perfectly.
We are capable of reading entire libraries or watching hundreds of YouTube videos to answer our dilemmas, reciting mantras day and night, doing retreats and fasting, but all of that is in vain. We do not realize that to get out of our dilemmas it would be enough for us to pay love and attention to what we have in our hands at every moment. That was precisely what José surely did: he took great care in sawing, planing and varnishing wood, since he saw that his mind stopped bothering him the more thoroughly it was used in his work. José had to work a lot inside and out. And his mind was of no use to him. What’s more: if he let her fly, his mind would be filled with fears, obsessions, reasoning…
And suddenly, it was when he woke up from a dream that José made his decision, not thanks to a long and thoughtful process of reflection. He heard an inner voice, because he was already prepared for it. And he finally accepted the extraordinary in his everyday life. Something that jumped above the norms and laws of that time had happened. The wonder of God acted and he accepted it in his life, without fuss. He continued working as a simple carpenter and as a faithful and loving husband… but life was already different.
After this experience Joseph never again wholly doubted Mary’s story of Gabriel’s visit and of the promise that the unborn child was to become a divine messenger to the world. (UB 122:4.1)
Hopefully José and his spiritual process inspire us to lead our lives attentively, listen and observe the wonders that surround us, discovering the inner voice.
¶ 2. The mother, Maria
One evening about sundown, before Joseph had returned home, Gabriel appeared to Mary by the side of a low stone table and, after she had recovered her composure, said: “I come at the bidding of one who is my Master and whom you shall love and nurture. To you, Mary, I bring glad tidings when I announce that the conception within you is ordained by heaven, and that in due time you will become the mother of a son; you shall call him Joshua, and he shall inaugurate the kingdom of heaven on earth and among men. Speak not of this matter save to Joseph and to Elizabeth, your kinswoman, to whom I have also appeared, and who shall presently also bear a son, whose name shall be John, and who will prepare the way for the message of deliverance which your son shall proclaim to men with great power and deep conviction. And doubt not my word, Mary, for this home has been chosen as the mortal habitat of the child of destiny. My benediction rests upon you, the power of the Most Highs will strengthen you, and the Lord of all the earth shall overshadow you.”
Mary pondered this visitation secretly in her heart for many weeks until of a certainty she knew she was with child, (UB 122:3.1-2)
A woman, a girl rather, named Maria, receives incredible news from a heavenly being. Although Maria was a teenager who had unexpectedly received a superhuman mission, she knew how to overcome the immense fear that Gabriel’s heavenly vision produced in her and had the insight to ponder this revelation in silence, waiting to be sure of her pregnancy to communicate this extraordinary news.
He didn’t understand what was happening, but he didn’t resist; she was glad to be a part of something bigger than herself. With determination, she defended that something wonderful was happening, that she had been chosen for a great responsibility: to love and nurture a heavenly being. Precious and proper order of words: first Gabriel uses the word amar and then nurture.
God also continues his work within us. How is it possible for something to be born from the emptiness that we are? Like Mary, we can try to love and nurture our relationship with our God within. Is the progress of light, joy and love progressing within us, as Mary’s pregnancy progressed?
May Mary, a young lady, inspire us this Christmas so that we can all joyfully culminate a birth that has cost effort, but that allows us to see God within us.
All that night Mary was restless so that neither of them slept much. By the break of day the pangs of childbirth were well in evidence, and at noon, August 21, 7 B.C., with the help and kind ministrations of women fellow travelers, Mary was delivered of a male child. (UB 122:8.1)
¶ 3. A boy, Joshua
Jesus of Nazareth was born into the world, was wrapped in the clothes which Mary had brought along for such a possible contingency, and laid in a near-by manger. (UB 122:8.1)
Thus the promised child was born; that is to say, in the same way as all the children that before and since then have come into the world. And on the eighth day after his birth and in accordance with Jewish practice, he was circumcised and formally named Joshua (Jesus).
A child, a Jewish baby named Joshua, is born in some stables next to the mangers for the beasts. A normal child, who is born in a most humble place, did not seem to portend anything portentous for his life. But this shows us a great truth: the divine, even if it surprises us, is born in us surrounded by matter. God does not shy away from the small and simple; mud and straw are not alien to him.
A child appears where there was nothing and, with how small he is, he makes everything revolve around him. He fills the room with his voice, fills the hearts of those who raise him with meaning in a rush of unpredictable life.
This is the manifestation of the spirit in our lives. This can be the expression of the birth of God in our lives this Christmas.
We all have inside a creature that wants to be born (a project, an idea, a mission) that requires, like José, to work and listen; and also, like Mary, to love and nurture that creature so that it is finally born. Let’s trust that it won’t be long before we see the light. Let us silently observe all things. It won’t be long before we see Him, the Word.
The Word became flesh and camped among us. . . Through it everything was done; without it nothing was made that has been created. All that he came to be was full of his life. And that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out. (John 1:1)
Happy birth. Happy Holidays.
¶ References
- Article of the Magazine Light and Life Online: https://aue.urantia-association.org/2021/11/29/editorial-luz-y-vida-diciembre-2021/