© 2011 Marc Belleau, Maurice Migneault, Diane Labrecque, Guy Laporte
© 2011 Urantia Association of Quebec
¶ The search for perfection or the quest for the Grail (Part 1)
I REMEMBER HAVING, AT ONE TIME, discussions with my friends about what perfection is. We came to the conclusion that it consists of possessing the totality of knowledge and experience.
I held on to this definition until I read The Urantia Book, which, need I mention it, constantly speaks of the attainment of perfection. This concept is a central theme in the 5th revelation. It is important to understand it well in order to implement the mechanisms that will allow us to respond to our Heavenly Father’s invitation: “Be perfect, even as I am perfect.” But what does this mean for us who live on Urantia? This is what I will attempt to answer in this text, which is intended to be a reflection on the search for perfection at our stage of evolution, that of incarnate life.
I will begin by refuting the definition I gave in my introduction. Perfection cannot be the acquisition of all experience and all knowledge. God is infinite—therefore he has no limits—and this means that we can never exhaust his divine potential for creation, we can never know him entirely, he will always have something new and exciting to make us discover. It is a bit like when we walk towards a horizon line; by reaching it, we discover another one. The knowledge of God is composed of an infinity of horizon lines to reach and, believe me, there are enough of them to fill all eternity.
Urantia mortals can hardly hope to be perfect in the infinite sense, but it is entirely possible for human beings, starting out as they do on this planet, to attain the supernal and divine goal which the infinite God has set for mortal man; and when they do achieve this destiny, they will, in all that pertains to self-realization and mind attainment, be just as replete in their sphere of divine perfection as God himself is in his sphere of infinity and eternity. Such perfection may not be universal in the material sense, unlimited in intellectual grasp, or final in spiritual experience, but it is final and complete in all finite aspects of divinity of will, perfection of personality motivation, and God-consciousness. (UB 1:0.5)
But then, what is perfection and how to define it? The Urantia Book speaks of 3 types and 7 phases of manifestations of perfection (see the introduction — Deity and Divinity — UB 0:1.19). It is not a question here of analyzing them and I will content myself with saying that absolute perfection exists only in Paradise and that at our level, that of ascending creatures, it is relative and partial, it depends on our degree of accomplishment.
According to The Urantia Book, the search for perfection is inscribed deep within our being, in our very cells.
There is original endowment of adaptation in living things and beings. In every living plant or animal cell, in every living organism—material or spiritual—there is an insatiable craving for the attainment of ever-increasing perfection of environmental adjustment, organismal adaptation, and augmented life realization. These interminable efforts of all living things evidence the existence within them of an innate striving for perfection. (UB 65:6.2)
The circumstances of daily life and the innate desire for accomplishment that God has instilled in us are sufficient to push us on the path to perfection, and this, on all levels of reality: material, mental and spiritual. Here are some examples that illustrate well what I mean.
- Our body’s immune system must find ways to fight against constantly mutating viruses. In doing so, it adapts by improving its defense strategies, it perfects itself. This is the case for all living organisms.
- When life circumstances force us to change jobs, to learn other work techniques, as in the case of a layoff during a company restructuring, we adapt by acquiring new skills. This allows an increase in our personal abilities and constitutes the improvement of our thinking, our intellect.
- In our interactions with difficult colleagues, we are sometimes forced to adapt by learning to be patient, tolerant, cultivating self-control and love of neighbor; learning to love constitutes the perfection of our spiritual nature.
Becoming perfect means adapting, transforming, welcoming change, showing flexibility.
The answer to the challenges that arise in our daily lives lies in our ability to adapt. The adjustment to our surroundings referred to in the previous quote is the mechanism by which we can improve ourselves. This requires good physical, mental and spiritual capacities. We can be the actors of our own improvement by developing ourselves in the following areas:
— physical plane
- keeping our body and brain in good condition: for our body to support our mind and soul, we must give it what it needs to do its job well. This is probably the easiest thing to understand, and at the same time the most difficult to apply because it requires discipline. Eating well and exercising daily are different ways to keep our body healthy; it will be better equipped to fight infectious agents. Exercising our brain (memorizing, reading, practicing an art such as painting, singing or theater, etc.) allows us to maintain lively intellectual capacities, a sine qua non condition for the expansion of consciousness: the growth of our mind and soul. Our physical fitness is the basis on which progress is made possible and this basis must be solid.
— mental plane
- acquiring knowledge in various fields of expertise: Knowledge allows us to solve everyday problems. The more knowledgeable we are, the more tools we have to deal with the difficult situations we encounter. With the accumulation of knowledge, we can approach problems from different angles and provide inventive and diversified solutions. In addition, having knowledge in different fields allows us to appreciate life more intensely. Learning a new language, a new profession, knowing the different spiritual visions that exist on our planet, being interested in sociology, psychology are different ways of broadening our intellectual horizons. In other words, it is about cultivating our curiosity, learning to love knowledge.
The progression of eternity does not consist solely in spiritual development. Intellectual acquisition is also a part of universal education. The experience of the mind is broadened equally with the expansion of the spiritual horizon. Mind and spirit are afforded like opportunities for training and advancement. Paper 37 no. 6: the heavenly supervisors, (UB 37:6.6)
- knowledge of God: acquiring an ever broader vision of God, learning to know him better and maintaining friendship with him is our first responsibility. Reflection, prayer, sharing our experiences are different ways of getting closer to our creator.
Knowledge of God is not everything; the concepts we discover must also be coherent. It is the intellectual basis upon which our faith can grow and develop. Let me give you an example. At one time, I had difficulty with the concept of redemption proposed by Christianity—the suffering and death of Christ on the cross to appease the wrath of God—because I found it inconsistent with the concept of a loving God. How could God love and at the same time require the suffering of his beloved son for the redemption of humanity? This apparent contradiction created doubt in me, eroded my faith, and would have been enough, in time, to distance me from God. The Urantia Book, by eliminating all these misconceptions, presents the incarnation of Christ as a revelation of God’s love for his creation, as well as a revelation of what the creature can become when it chooses to associate with God. This restored harmony between Christ’s mission on earth and the emerging concept of a loving God. God was no longer the angry being who sent his only son to suffer and atone for man’s supposed sin, but rather a being acting with real and intelligent love. The coherence of the spiritual concepts presented in The Urantia Book enabled my mind to know my creator better, my faith to be strengthened, and my soul to continue its growth.
— spiritual plane
Of course, gaining experience is a crucial thing on the path to perfection. It allows us to validate the knowledge acquired through study and reflection. Facing life’s problems and solving them allows us to transform our theoretical knowledge into practical knowledge.
The methods employed in many of the higher schools are beyond the human concept of the art of teaching truth, but this is the keynote of the whole educational system: character acquired by enlightened experience. The teachers provide the enlightenment; the universe station and the ascender’s status afford the opportunity for experience; the wise utilization of these two augments character. Paper no. 37 no. 6: the celestial supervisors, (UB 37:6.3)
These methods apply to our learning on Urantia as well. The human teachers who teach us may not always have all the insights into the best way to accomplish tasks, but the point is that the problem-solving of daily tasks is a function of character development, self-mastery. At our level, this means transforming our animal nature into human nature. We share many traits with animals, and this inherited nature expresses itself in many ways. For example, when we work and, under the pressure of a deadline, become impatient, anxious, and aggressive, we demonstrate a lack of control and, in so doing, incline toward the animal world. Seeking self-control, valuing tolerance, calmness, and faith, enables us to become more human. This is our spiritual growth here on earth, the first step in our journey toward the Father. Moreover, the whole period of the mansion world, that which immediately follows our passage on Urantia, aims at eradicating these animal tendencies inherited from our earthly career.
One of the purposes of the morontia career is to effect the permanent eradication from the mortal survivors of such animal vestigial traits as procrastination, equivocation, insincerity, problem avoidance, unfairness, and ease seeking. The mansonia life early teaches the young morontia pupils that postponement is in no sense avoidance. After the life in the flesh, time is no longer available as a technique of dodging situations or of circumventing disagreeable obligations. Paper 48 no. 5: educators of the world of homes, (UB 48:5.8)
This excerpt should give us a good idea of the work we can already accomplish during our short but intense time on Urantia. So let’s stop procrastinating, get a head start and begin this work now.
Personally, I find it wonderful that The Urantia Book allows us to unify the spiritual and practical dimensions of our earthly life. Everything we experience on a daily basis contributes to our mental and spiritual elevation and this gives a very great meaning to our life on Urantia.
If you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to write to me.
Marc Belleau
belleaumarc@hotmail.com
¶ IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN STUDY GROUPS
COMMUNICATION IS AN intrinsic and essential component of life, because it is the engine of cohesion. It consists mainly of establishing relationships with others. When three or more people come together to form a group, communication is the first thing they need. This group can then become similar to a living entity, like an organ of the body.
For an organ to play its role well, the cells that compose it must be in communication with each other and this organ must itself be in communication with the organism of which it is a part.
In growth, whether biological, social or spiritual, there is a protocol to respect, the path must be done in an orderly way by following rules. If we observe life carefully, we realize that isolation is an attitude or a state of being that often goes against these rules, especially when they deprive us of external enrichment. If growth occurs in small successive steps, decline can also occur in the same way.
The great danger to any civilization—at any one moment—is the threat of breakdown during the time of transition from the established methods of the past to those new and better, but untried, procedures of the future. (UB 81:6.41)
If ten people in good spiritual growth find themselves surrounded by a thousand indolent ones, isolation will be a natural protective reflex. But if these ten people find themselves surrounded by a thousand others, also in good spiritual growth, isolation could have the opposite result. And what are we, readers of The Urantia Book, if not people in good spiritual growth? Is not communication among ourselves a recipe for assured growth?
Each race must become familiar with the thinking of all races; each nation must know the feeling of all nations. Ignorance breeds suspicion, and suspicion is incompatible with the essential attitude of sympathy and love. The Urantia Book p. 597 —
There is in this quote a call for communication, an incentive to create and maintain connections. Perhaps this is why the Revealers have asked us to form thousands of study groups.
Maurice Migneault
¶ New: Remembrance Dinners
IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE SPIRIT of brotherhood as taught by Jesus to his apostles and disciples, you are invited to come and take part in the Remembrance Supper which will take place at 6 p.m., on Friday, November 4, 2011, at 6623 rue St-Hubert in Montreal (Beaubien Metro).
These Remembrance Dinners, which will take place once a month, on the first Friday of each month, are intended to be a sharing between brothers and sisters of spirit within the framework of a different spiritual theme at each meeting, while enjoying a meal together. The goal of these dinners is to share with each other how we live the teachings of Jesus on a daily basis and to enlarge the fraternal bonds that unite us and which have eternal value. Everyone is called to bring a dish to share with all and for this reason, we ask you to contact us to confirm your presence and inform us of your dish. Parking is free. Your presence will enrich our sharing in His Presence.
Diane Labrecque
(514) 277-2308
¶ Report on the Theme of October 16, 2011
LAST SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16, a theme that had a very special character took place at the Comfort Inn hotel in Saint-Jérôme. The theme was “The social heritage carried by women”. The special character coming from this theme was that it was produced by the women’s committee which is a cell of the AUQ created at the beginning of 2011.
The program included three presentations. The first was on the topic of “Premarital Education” presented by Irène Belle-lle. Then, Madeleine Boisvert spoke to us about “Teaching the Parental Experience.” Finally, the event organizer, Johanne Séguin, spoke to us about “Understanding Child Development.” The insight required for these topics required a special approach, a feminine approach.
In the afternoon, four discussion workshops focused on the following topics:
- The presence in a society of a large number of unmarried people denotes a temporary breakdown or transition of morals. When do you think?
- Why is family so important? Why is it said that family is the only hope for the survival of civilization?
- The home is the natural social setting in which growing children can grasp the ethics of blood brotherhood. The family is the basic unit of brotherhood in which parents and children learn the lessons of patience, unselfishness, tolerance, and long-suffering that are so essential to the brotherhood of all men. How are men to go about teaching these lessons?
To end this busy day, in plenary, it was again women, such as Louise, Claudette, Dominique and Irène who agreed to share the fruits of the discussions at their respective tables. Bravo and thank you.
As the first action organized by the women’s committee. It is a well-deserved success. When will the next one be?
Guy Laporte
Vice-president of AUQ
¶ IN MEMORIAM
Our friend and brother Gilles Lozeau of Montreal passed away from cancer on Saturday, October 22. Gilles had been actively involved in a study group for several years.
Have a good trip and goodbye dear Gilles.
¶ STUDY GROUPS
THIS ACTIVITY ALLOWS MULTIPLE READERS AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF UNDERSTANDING TO SHARE AND STUDY THE TEACHINGS OF THE URANTIA BOOK TOGETHER. IT PROMOTES SPIRITUAL PROGRESS BY ENABLING PARTICIPANTS TO FIND PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF THE TEACHINGS OF THE URANTIA BOOK IN THEIR DAILY LIVES. THIS IMPORTANT PRACTICE MAINTAINS A BROADER VIEW OF CONCEPTS OF TRUTH.
You wish to participate or form a study group; we will be happy to assist you. If you wish to have your study group appear in this list, contact the person in charge, via email association.urantia.quebec@gmail.com or at 450-565-3323.
Group: Découverte
Every Monday from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Laurentians Region Gaétan Charland and Line St-Pierre
Tel.: 450-565-3323
Group: Étoile du Soir
Every Wednesday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Laurentides region
Carmen Charland
Tel.: 450-553-3601
Group: Le Pont
Every Thursday from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
South Shore of Montreal
Guy Vachon
Tel.: 450-465-7049
Group: Mauricie Readers
Every Monday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Three Rivers Region
Madeleine Boisvert and
Tel: 819-376-8850
Roger Perigny
819-379-5768
Group: Veritas
Every Tuesday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Montreal area, near the Church metro station
Lise and Pierre Routhier
Tel.: 514-761-2378
Sherbrooke Group
Every two weeks, Tuesday or Wednesday (to be confirmed)
From 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Helene Boisvenue or Denis Gravelle
Tel.: 819 569-6416
Group: The Ascendants
Every two weeks on Sunday from 13 h 00 to 3:30 p.m.
South Shore of Quebec
Guy LeBlanc
Tel: 418-835-1809
Group: The Agondontarians
Every two weeks on Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. North Shore of Quebec
Guy & Rolande L. Martin
Tel: 418-651-3851
Group: Les Débonnaires
Wednesdays from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Montreal region
Julien Audet
Tel: 514-315-9871
Group: Urantia Fraternity
Wednesdays from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Lanaudière region
Richard Landry & Gisèle Boisjoly
Tel: 450-589-6922
Group: Vers les Sommets
Friday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Regions Ormstown & Valleyfield
Louise Sauve
Tel: 450-829-3631
Group: The United Urantia Family
Monday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Montreal region
Mrs. Diane Labrecque
Tel: 514-277-2308
The Partners of the Supreme
Monday from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Quebec region
Richard Lachance
Tel: (418) 614-2520 or (418) 933-0244 (cell)
At Maisonia
Every two weeks on Monday from 7:15 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Quebec region
Gilles Bertrand & Louise Renaud
Tel: 418-871-4564
Group: Uni-Terre
Every Sunday from 9:00 a.m.
Lanaudière region
Eric Martel
Tel: 450-756-9387
Group: Laurantia
Every Sunday from 9:00 a.m.
Petite Nation region in Outaouais
Denise Charron & Jean-Claude Lafreniere
Tel: 819-983-2113
Group: The Precursors of Divine Reality
Every two weeks on Tuesday from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Laurentides region
Mrs. Johanne Séguin
Tel: 819-327-3237
Group: Sans Frontiére
Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m.
Hawkesbury region
Yvon and Irene Belle-Isle
Tel: 613-632-5706
Disclaimer: Any interpretations, opinions, conclusions or artistic representations, stated or implied, are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of Urantia Association International or local and national level associations.