Look upon all the trinkets made to hang upon the body, or to cover it,
or for its use. See all the useless things made for its eyes to see.
Think on the many offerings made for its pleasure, and remember all
these were made to make seem lovely what you hate. Would you employ this
hated thing to draw your brother to you, and to attract his body’s eyes?
Learn you but offer him a crown of thorns, not recognizing it for what
it is, and trying to justify your own interpretation of its value by his
acceptance. Yet still the gift proclaims his worthlessness to you, as his
acceptance and delight acknowledges the lack of value he places on
himself.

Gifts are not made through bodies, if they be truly given and received.
For bodies can neither offer nor accept; hold out nor take. Only the
mind can value, and only the mind decides on what it would receive and
give. And every gift it offers depends on what it
WANTS. It will adorn its chosen home most carefully, making it ready to
receive the gifts it wants by offering them to those who come unto its
chosen home, or those it would attract to it. And there they will
exchange their gifts, offering and receiving what their minds judge to
be worthy of them.

Each gift is an evaluation of the receiver and the GIVER. No-one but
sees his chosen home an altar to himself. No-one but seeks to draw to it
the worshippers of what he placed upon it, making it worthy of their
devotion. And each has set a light upon his altar, that they may see
what he has placed upon it, and take it for their own. Here is the value
that you lay upon your brother and on yourself. Here is your gift to
BOTH; your judgement on the Son of God for what he is. Forget not that
it is your Savior to whom the gift is offered. Offer him thorns and YOU
are crucified. Offer him lilies and it is YOURSELF you free.

I have great need for lilies, for the Son of God has not forgiven me.
And can I offer him forgiveness, when he offers thorns to me? For he who
offers thorns to anyone is against me still, and who is whole without
him? Be you his friend for me, that I may be forgiven, and you may look
upon the Son of God as whole. But look you first upon the altar in your
chosen home, and see what you have laid upon it to offer me. If it be
thorns whose points gleam sharply in a blood-red light, the body is your
chosen home, and it is separation that you offer me. And yet the thorns
are gone. Look you still closer at them now, and you will see your altar
is no longer what it was.

You look still with the body’s eyes, and they CAN see but thorns. Yet you
have asked for and received ANOTHER sight. Those who accept the Holy
Spirit’s purpose as their own share also His vision. And what enables
Him to see His purpose shine forth from every altar now is yours as well
as His. He sees no strangers, only dearly loved and loving friends. He
sees no thorns but only lilies, gleaming in the gentle glow of peace
that shines on everything He looks upon and loves.

This Easter, look with different eyes upon each other. You HAVE forgiven
me. And yet I cannot use your gift of lilies while YOU see them not. Nor
can you use what I have given unless you share it. The Holy Spirit’s
vision is no idle gift, no plaything to be tossed about a
while, and laid aside. Listen and hear this carefully, nor think it but
a dream; a careless thought to play with, or a toy you would pick up
from time to time, and then put by. For if you do, so will it be to you:

You have the vision now to look past ALL illusions. It has been given
you to see no thorns, no strangers, and no obstacles to peace. The fear
of God is nothing to you now. Who is afraid to look upon illusions,
knowing his Savior stands beside him? With him, your vision has become
the greatest power for the undoing of illusion that God Himself could
give. For what God gave the Holy Spirit, you have received. The Son of
God looks unto you for his release. For you have asked for, and been
given, the strength to look upon this final obstacle, and see no thorns
nor nails to crucify the Son of God, and crown him king of death. Your
chosen home is on the other side, beyond the veil. It has been carefully
prepared for you, and it is ready to receive you now. You will not see
it with the body’s eyes. Yet all you need you have.

Your home has called to you since time began, nor have you ever failed
entirely to hear. You heard, but knew not HOW to look, nor WHERE. And now
you know. In you the knowledge lies, ready to be unveiled and freed from
all the terror that kept it hidden. There IS no fear in love. The song of
Easter is the glad refrain the Son of God was NEVER crucified. Let us
lift up our eyes together, not in fear, but faith. And there WILL be no
fear in us, for in our vision will be no illusions; only a pathway to
the open door of Heaven, the home we share in quietness, and where we
live in gentleness and peace, as one together.

Would you not have your holy brother lead you there? His innocence will
light your way, offering you its guiding light and sure protection, and
shining from the holy altar within him where you laid the lilies of
forgiveness. Let him be to you the Savior from illusions, and look on
him with the new vision that looks upon the lilies and brings YOU joy. We
go beyond the veil of fear, lighting each other’s way. The holiness that
leads us is WITHIN us, as is our home. So will we find what we were
meant to find by Him Who leads us.

This is the way to Heaven and to the peace of Easter, in which we join
in glad awareness that the Son of God is risen from the past, and has
awakened to the present. Now is he free, unlimited in his
communion with all that is within him. Now are the lilies of his
innocence untouched by guilt, and perfectly protected from the cold
chill of fear and withering blight of sin alike. Your gift has saved him
from the thorns and nails, and his strong arm is free to guide you
safely through them, and beyond. Walk with him now rejoicing, for the
Savior from illusions has come to greet you, and lead you home with him.

Here is your Savior and your Friend, released from crucifixion through
your vision, and free to lead you now where HE would be. He will not
leave you, nor forsake the Savior from his pain. And gladly will you
walk the way of innocence together, singing as you behold the open door
of Heaven, and recognize the home that called to you. Give joyously to
one another the freedom and the strength to lead you there. And come
before each other’s holy altar where the strength and freedom wait, to
offer and receive the bright awareness that leads you home. The lamp is
lit in both of you for one another. And by the hands that gave it to
each other shall both of you be led past fear to love.