KEN’S POETIC PRELUDE to this week’s CedarS Met:
HEAR on YouTube a KEN COOPER POEM, “Follow me” and two monologues, “In Him we live and move and have our being” and “The Magdalene’s Resurrection”. All three are inspired by application of ideas and citations in this week’s Bible Lesson.
[Ken wrote:] “The purpose of man is to express God, for without expression God would not exist. Anything less than full expression would be a failure of God, an impossibility for Infinite omnipresent good. When we look to God, we are looking at the source of our being, perfect, harmonious. Our expectation should be 100%, because there is nothing else, the infinite can have nothing more.
“Paul declared: “In Him we live and move and have our being”. What greater Oneness can we have or experience? There is nowhere else we can be or go. This declaration sets out the absolute Truth. What God is, we are, and this understanding has its fruition in Life-practice. Carrying on from last week’s lesson, it is the recognition of Atonement, -indeed the doctrine of atonement could well be seen as the scientific statement of being exemplified. (SH 468). We are spiritual, deathless.
“So why then is there probation after “death”? God has not put us on trial. There are no guards on duty at the kingdom of heaven. Love can only be Love. Unconditional. The belief in individual man struggling to find God, with varying degrees of success, is the Adam-dream of mortal mind. The more we focus on God the less this Adam dream interferes with the constant reality of divine consciousness, in which there is no death. Our trials are stepping stones to reach our true heritage, the open gates of the kingdom of heaven here and now, just one step (thought) away. [The prodigal son never left the love of his father, was always in His kingdom]
“The monologue of Mary Magdalene in “The Magdalene’s Resurrection” is very challenging. The first part takes us on a trial of faith, shows her graphic witness of the crucifixion. It is the acknowledgement that we all have our trials, and they can seem impossible to overcome. But no matter how severe the test, the expectation must be held firm, because the Truth of Life in God never changes, is now. Listen through to the end, and experience the joy of understanding, the exhilaration of realizing what it means to see and share the living Christ!
“The key message is that we have to be actively, constantly, reaching out to God, and this is always rewarded. We cannot be a “still” reflection of God who is omni-active Life. For Peter to walk on the water, he had to get out of the boat. To be a fisher of men, he had to cast his net on the right side. On the shore of Galilee, he reverted, perhaps with a sad soul, to his old way of fishing. It led to nothing. He had to “begin aright” showing obedience to the Christ, forsaking his material outlook. Hauling in the full net was their reward of obedience. When he realized it was Jesus who had spoken to them, he again got out of the boat, perhaps for the last time? – and he swam to Jesus with renewed vigor and zest, to find his and their morning meal already prepared. The first step leads to the second, and has the expectation of fulfilling its journey and purpose.
“The poem “Follow me” rejoices in the affluence of those that follow Christ, and cast their nets with the power and expectation of Love. Casting this net of Love is fulfilling our role as man, demonstrating love, letting Love be love. Our expectation must be to draw in a net full of whatever God has provided for each moment. We progress most rapidly when we know the destination is at hand. When our motive is love, it is God directing our way, God that casts the net, and God that has provided the ways and means of fulfilment.
“Peter provides such an example. He walked on the water, he sank, he beheld the transfiguration, yet denied Jesus, he went back to his old ways, but his deep motivation won through. When he dived out of the boat that full commitment sourced his joyous renewal. He had mentally died, but was brought back to spiritual life. He was tested, but came through. And what a rock he proved to be. As the lesson concludes: “Working and praying with true motives, your Father will open the way.” (SH 326:20-21, cit. S30)”
PDF versions of the monologue and poems in color and B&W can be found on the top right of CedarS metaphysical article for this week. See also Ken’s poems on Ken Cooper poetry.com
