ACIM Workbook Lesson 22 – for Saturday, January 22, 2011
Affirmation: “What I see is a form of vengeance.”
Selected Passage:
“Today’s idea accurately describes the way anyone who holds attack thoughts in his mind must see the world. Having projected his anger onto the world, he sees vengeance about to strike at him. . . .[T]houghts of attack and counter-attack will preoccupy him and people his entire world. What peace of mind is possible to him then? (WB33)”
Reflections:
This passage affirms the oft-repeated truism that when one points a finger at another, three fingers are pointed back at him (or her). Repeatedly ACIM says that what we think or say or do to another is actually something that we are thinking or saying or doing to ourselves. This is because projection makes perception (an ACIM tenet). We must learn to think more kindly of our brothers and sisters in our world if we are to think more kindly of ourselves. Otherwise, we will think that someone or something is about to strike us down. And what peace can there be in that?
Note that we have just begun the Workbook. We do not yet have vision, and so we are seeing vengeance. Anger and attack are characteristics of this world, and we are very much a part of it until we change our minds.
Jesus would have us change our minds today. Ask him for his help. He has said elsewhere in ACIM that we can imagine that he walks with us, holding our hand. And he has assured us that this is no idle fantasy. He has also said that he is available for everyone at any time. And he will come at the first unequivocal call. These reassurances are all culled from the Text, but they are particularly appropriate in the context of this lesson today from the Workbook. The theme is the same. And we do have help. We are not cast adrift in a world of vengeance, to be left there without any assistance to find our way to a better frame of mind. This is a course in mind training, and with this lesson on this day, we have made great strides forward.
Prayer:
Dear Father/Mother,
May I attack nobody today, and may I not even entertain attack thoughts. I realize that as long as I think “attack,” I will think that this attack is rebounding back to me. I would not have this today.
Please be with me all day long. Help me to be aware of Your presence. Keep my mind safe and peaceful, free of attack wishes. Then my day will go well. Thank You.
Amen.
