The Patience of Unconditionality!

This is from my friend Henry Hasse.
  Henry is suffering from cancer.  What a light he is!
 This is long, please read it all by pressing on the "READ MORE" link.
  -AK

Oh, the Patience of Unconditionality!

By Henry Hasse 

Preface

There always seems to be a better way

  to write what one has learned of “unconditional.”

Of this I know, for I have labored long and hard

  to bring this ode to you.

Perhaps you can improve it some,

  and add to it some thoughts – or take away.

Go to! Make it your own to think about and share.

I make no claim to say these words

  should not be touched,

     as if they be so sacred.

I hope that I have just begun

  to learn such love as this

     to pass along at three and seventy.

♥♥♥♥♥

I. The Best of Times

It must have been exciting – that creation time!

The Source of all, at play, with all the thoughts

   on what to make at first, and then how far to go

      with each existence –  hmmm

   perhaps to turn it loose to grow and change.

And then the thought that crowned it all:

A human pair to fill with wonder, and not least,

  a hint of creativity, enough to play with and enjoy,

      but most of all, exciting love to share –

         which made them much like Love Itself!

♥♥♥

Accepting one another as but one and same,

   just different in form,

      and always seeking ways to better things

         for self and others coming soon, –

  such was the way implanted in them both.

Besides the gift of life itself,

   the greatest gift to them was freedom. – Wow!

To choose the ways that made them happy was a gift

   that filled with hope and curiosity.

These attributes did make them kindred, near and dear

   to One who placed a consciousness

      of such great gifts within.

It was a consciousness that sought

   to use these attributes with grace and love

      for those who followed after yet unborn.

Another word describes such Love:

It’s unconditional – means no conditions placed

   on living, loving, doing good;

     no, absolutely none.

It was the Source’s greatest attribute as well.

Such is the risk that Love must take!

II. Times that Try Patience and Love

A Love that takes the risk to grant a freedom

  then allows for choices not so loving too.

This would be difficult to do,

  but human robots would not fit

     as images so dear to Source.

Unloving choices try the patience and the love,

      not least of all, acceptance of recipients.

To mirror consciousness instead,

   and understand the Source within,

      (at least some part of it),

  to not reciprocate in kind

         with payback punishment,

            is twice a blessing for the deed.

Forgiveness heals the wound and counsels hearts

  of those who dare to hurt their peers.

​●●●

The ancient story of the Fall

   shows no such thing as love for deeds that hurt.

Instead, it tells a story of what could never be

   a just reaction by a Loving Source.

An oxymoron is that story!

Love, and punishment as payback do not fit

  as one and same,

      and this is proof enough that it is myth!

A myth’s responsibility and punishment

   for choices made by those who do not love

     besmirch Creator – Love.

As if such treatment gives divine permit

to punish and pay back.

Creation myths abound among religions of the world,

      as do the myths of falling from a paradise.

The Hebrew myths are not unique at all.

That humans have indeed made choices

  which betray their lack of love, there can be no doubt.

A close account of history will tell as much.

Some greater detail may be helpful too,

   but I prefer to leave those details

      to some recollections of your own.

Experience will call up evidence

   and give you opportunity to practice

      unconditional forgiveness and acceptance too.

Better given late than not at all!

♥♥♥

To pay love forward is the answer then,

  for it defines the Source’s justice as a better way.

Forgiveness brings relief to harmful situations, all,

   including loving self enough to love a neighbor.

Acceptance will restore Creator’s justice to you both.

It brings a peace to you as victim,

   and brings great comfort to an erring soul –

     perhaps enough to turn their ways around, in time.

This is the hope of love enduring. – To be

  a double blessing! Restorative! – Such

     is the hope of justice from this Love.

●●●

Religion of the Hebrews was replete

  with all its mediators and its rituals.

(Do not forget about its sacrifices and its laws.)

Yet none of these were much unlike

  surrounding nation’s written codes.

Each nation thought their sky-god was the

  strongest of them all, and that their ways

     were most effective to appease an angry god.

Some people, like good Abraham,

  who only looked for better land and better ways

     to live with family,

       still followed rituals that he had learned too well.

Oh, the beauty of that place, Chaldean Ur!

But that its ways were not so loving, we can see.

♥♥♥

The worried questions of his son

  foresaw a father’s brutal deed

     in preparations odd.

And well it was to question such a brutal rite!

Thank goodness for the questions of the young!

The young can make us think, and doubt

​some ways of old!

Their consciousness of Source’s way

  is still somewhat unspoiled by much experience

     with all the ways that do not love.

Bring up a child in Father’s way of love.

Acceptance and forgiveness leave their mark,

  remembered well in latter days.

●●●

The choice of brutal sacrifice and punishment

  were learned again at other times,

     by brother left to die, then sold away.

There were Egyptian kings whose hospitality

  made use of skills that called for husbandry.

Their animals did well with care

  from those who had escaped a famine

​in their land.

(Forgiveness and acceptance from a brother

  they had hurt, was not received with grace

     and comfort. They chose instead

        a payback to receive.)

But there were other kings that came

  to spread their tyranny

     across the land, in fact, they saw themselves

        as gods!

In time, some had enough of it, the fear and slavery

  that is, and left the tyranny behind. They

     searched again for better places

        to call home.

There were the judges and the kings,

  some good, at times,

     who understood and led with ways of Elohim.

Most others seemed to not know loving ways.

♥♥♥♥♥

III. Glimmers of Hope

From time to time the light burst loose

  from inner consciousness.

The prophets, bold, complained of

  priestly ways and rituals.

They called for ways of Elohim.

Mercy! Justice! And forget the sacrifice!

Show love and kindness to your neighbors!

The generous forgiveness of our Elohim

  brings peace and comfort to us all!

But prophets suffered from the treatment

  of the most religious.

A priest from Aaron’s line (the first of Hebrew

  priests to lead astray with golden image),

     worked long to gather up the ancient

        stories left behind by ancient scribes

           who wrote with flare

              of Hebrew origins and wars.

His name was Ezra. What seemed to be

   the most important thing to him was lineage.

It gave authority along with words from Elohim

   at least he claimed they were.

He had enjoyed a life in Babylon, by then

  a Persian state,

      (all priests were looked upon as leaders, pure).

The Persian rule had made a Zoroastrian faith

  their way, and Hebrew faith was not too far removed from it.

The writings of this scribe and priest, High Ezra,

  betrayed his own interpretations

     and additions to the scrolls.

They fit his thoughts and needs to press

  so hard upon the captive Israelites the threats

     of punishment when they would disobey

        the ancient laws and ways.

The story of the Fall, the punishment of death

  – and hell –

  had their beginnings here, and smacked

     of Persian faith we said.

(I have a hunch he was the one who tampered

  with the earliest of books

     to make them fit his Eastern desert faith.)

♥♥♥

And yet, appointed governor, the Nehemiah good,

   who saw the sadness of his fellow men

     and women coming home

         to hear such words as Ezra read,

  while looking at the walls

     whose stones lay scattered far and wide,

        found yet another meaning hidden there.

His consciousness explained them

  to the gathered folks.

“Find love and mercy in these words,” he said.

“They tell of Elohim’s forgiveness and acceptance,

  and give instruction on a better treatment

     to your neighbors.”

“This Elohim does love you more than

  you could know, and only hopes that you

     could share this love with others here.”

The people heard these words of comfort

  (yes, and many more), and cried

     with tears of joy.

For days they celebrated such good news!

And then they changed their ways

  of payback punishment to

     then more loving ways.

Good changes come when after hearing

  such great gifts –

     Forgiveness and acceptance!

Love changes things! It’s true! It is creative.

A threat can only bring out insincerity.

​Unloving acts are bound to follow such.

​●●●

The Greeks and then the Romans brought on a

  treachery and tyranny to all.

A time of war and horrible rebellion left people filled

  with fears again for selves and for their homes.

♥♥♥♥♥

IV. Light From the Hills

A Galilean, young, and said to be the son

  of nearby carpenter (to cover up a tragedy,

     oh, shush!),

        learned well by posing thoughtful questions

          to his elders.

And it was said that their amazement showed

  at his perceptions shared with them.

His depth of understanding did not cherish

  ancient ways.

Known as the “sage” from hill country,

   his was a simple message, new to those around.

He taught the presence of a loving and

  accepting Father who is within us as we treat

     a neighbor with respect and dignity.

It was a message not unlike the olden prophets too.

He spread his sayings using stories, clear,

  of common things in life,

    and gave examples of relationships so generous

        that all could see a mirror of the Father’s

           presence, here, and now among them.

He gave the people hope for better times,

   and love for enemies was key to peace, he said.

He showed them how to party with the poor.

The overlooked, excluded too, came in,

  and joy and laughter always filled the room!

He called himself Joshua ben Adam,

   (a son of humanity, the human one),

      and refused another title higher still.

So, many chose to follow with his ways –

  not follow him, as person, note that well,

     for so he asked and cautioned them.

His ways were what he taught and lived,

  and hoped he could pass on.

It was the message of acceptance from a

  Presence that should hold the day!

To see the Father’s presence in our ways is key!

It has been said that people need their heroes too.

  But, when will we learn that what our heroes did

     is lost among the accolades for them,

        and then authority bestowed on them?

Their loving deeds must always cover up

  themselves! It is such work that lives

     through generations on.

Humanity will come and go,

  but loving works live on and on

     so surely as the Source, Eternal.

In spite of moving place to place,

   the crowds and teachings were offensive

     to the leadership.

Religiousness was questioned for their rituals

  and words had bound in fear

     the people that he loved.

His fearless questions of the words

   they claimed had come from Elohim

     offended their authority!

He knew beyond a doubt that words which speak

   of anger and revenge, of punishment,

     destruction too, were not from Love itself,

        a Father to us all.

For this, and for the Roman ruler’s fears

  of possible rebellion in the wind,

      he suffered brutal treatment on a Roman cross.

And yet, with dying breath, he still called out,

  and trusted in the Father’s way of justice pure.

“Forgive them, Father, for they just don’t know

  yet what they do.”

Amazing love for enemies,

  and what a grasp of Father’s justice!

●●●●●

V. Just Another Religion

Now afraid for all their lives, the followers

  went into hiding, and worse, became convinced

     by written words from new Apostle Paul,

        Apocalyptic Law, and PhD, who wrote:

     “He was the Christ! His death had deeper meaning

        as payment for our sins.”

I call it worse because,

They left behind the light of Jesus’

  words and ways for them –

     the ones concerned with presence

        of the Father, so filled with love and

     patience for his children, dear,

        and mirrored by our loving help for all.

Instead, they soon returned to justice known

  from old – a sacrificial payment to appease

     an angry sky-god.

IF we believed, they said, a bloody offering paid,

  perfected by the Son, no less, then we

     could see salvation from a death and more

        destruction in the end-time judgment

           that is sure to come.

(I said before and say again that hell and

  end-time judgment were but Zoroastrian

     teachings that the priests brought home

        from Persia many years before.

Those same apocalyptic words where taught by

  cousin, John, along the Jordan banks, but

     they were words that brought no comfort

        to John’s cousin, Jesus.)

The years that followed saw a narrative,

  and then three more,

     about the life of Joshua.

Those stories claimed he did and said some things

   that do not fit his message

     of the “kingdom” here and now.

One spoke of Son-ship at a Jordon river bank.

Another wrote of terrible and fearful times

  that soon would come, when he returned to

     rule as King and send all enemies to hell.

And one described a birth that was unusual,

  with lineage again to give authority.

Another author, late, but sure that he was

  not unlike the Roman heroes

     so well known. – all gods that walked about

        on earth as if to hide themselves,

           but not their mighty deeds.

Just use the test that Jesus used

  on words that claim to be the Father’s words.

A love for all would never send a curse

  to towns across the lake of Galilee!

In centuries to come, a Christian church

  was formed, and creeds were written up

     about a man that they had turned into a god.

The church claimed power to control the people,

  even governments, with words, they said,

     came from their god – a claim used once

        (or was it twice) before by priests so bold.

Again, they punished some to brutal deaths

  for questions of mistrust, and said to

     place authority and rituals at risk.

♥♥♥

Thanks to the Father’s consciousness within,

  there always was a soul, some here or there,

     who understood, at least in part,

  the meaning of the light that brought sage Joshua

     to live a life of love and pass it on to us.

And what of those who still do miss the point?

Forgive them, Father, Dear! They too will know

  and celebrate with us as well,

     much like the brother of the Prodigal

        who thought you so unfair, and

           so unjust at first.

Accept them as they are, and love them still.

We know you will, and so shall we. Amen!

The Father’s love, accepting all,

   the freedom and the hope it gives

     for happiness pursued,

   shall always break away across the world,

        in spite of gloomy messages

            with all their “ifs” that implant fears,

        and all the horrors promised soon

           for disobedience of laws that some create

              and profit from.

A thousand years are but a day

  for Love that does not fail.

To us, that time is long, indeed! – That is,

  until we learn of love and patience from

     the One who knows that its Reality will

        finally come to all

        who pass through death – a door ajar!

The promise of the Father always was, and still is,

   never to forsake or leave us here in grave

     to rot away with meat and blood and bone,

        for we are more than those!

We are his children after all!

We are more than we can see, and we shall ever be

  within the presence of our Father!

(Forget the meat and blood and bone,

  all here for us to be in school,

     to learn to make improvements and

        to learn to love a neighbor!)

So, fear death not! Again, I say, “a door ajar!”

Enjoy what has been given you for here and now.

And share your happiness with all.

Your face will show relief, and they will ask,

  “What makes it so?” –

An opportunity to tell of things discovered

  and made known to you!

The ways of Love, and not the man himself,

  who taught us well to comfort those

     that suffer from their fears,

   are what this life of ours is all about!

So, just let Jesus be the man from Galilee,

  a son of man. – No more!

Of course, we all are sons and daughters

  of the Father, including him,

     as he did know full well.

The presence of the Father, found in loving

  human ways, just is what it is.

You cannot build religions out of that!

To do the loving human thing, to be the mirror

  you were meant to be,

     this is unconditionality –  the Father’s way!

The Source of all lives in you now

  (your consciousness can tell),

     and eagerly awaits to show his Love

        for everyone – Through you!

This can be done so easily, but not until

  you finally see this light and love

     are meant for you!

You are the one accepted and so loved!

  You are the light!

You are the child of the everlasting Father!

Know that well and it will turn you on to shine on all around!

Henry Hasse - March 21, 2012, (The First of Spring!)

Revised 12/14/2012

Lakeland, Florida      

Afterthoughts

What need is there to waste our time

  on wondering about a life to come?

It is enough to know that we have merely

  scratched the surface here.

There’s much to do and much to learn!

The wonders of the Father’s endless works

  to be uncovered still

     by consciousness and mind

        set finally free of – well, you know,

           are bound to thrill us all.

Like children playing in a sandbox,

  at a playground, at the beach –

     all safe from harm and tireless,

        while Father smiles on,

           enjoying each discovery then made

​   by children, dear….

A waste of time to think of it –

  like day-dreaming in school.

There still is so much love to give

  right here and now.

The more we hear of brothers, sisters,

  children dear, that suffer from a need

     and fears of death and punishment,

        the more there is to do….