However, while the lazy fall into unconsciousness, the ever alert and thoughtful Yeshua has a vision. Moses appears to him, and so does Elijah. (Together they represent the entire Jewish scriptural testament - the law and the prophets.) This means that on this mountain of prayer, Yeshua considers his contemplated path in the light of his people's entire tradition.
According to the Jews' credal summary in Deuteronomy 26, their whole national story centered on the Exodus. Fittingly then, Yeshua, Moses, and Elijah "discuss" what is about to take place in Jerusalem. Or as Luke puts it, "And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem." Yeshua's Exodus!!
It is easy to imagine Moses' part in the conversation. That would be to remind Yeshua of the chances Moses took when he led the original Exodus from Egypt. That might have failed too. Nevertheless . . .
Elijah's part was likely to recall for Yeshua the "prophetic script" that all prophets must follow. That script has God's spokespersons speaking truth to power and suffering the inevitable consequences.
Elijah reminds Yeshua: So what if Barabbas and those following the path of violence are defeated again? So what if Yeshua's nonviolent direct action in the temple fails to bring in the Kingdom? So what if Yeshua is arrested and crucified? That's just the cost of doing prophetic business. Despite appearances to the contrary, Yeshua's faithful God will somehow triumph in the end.
Conclusion
Is there a message in today's reading for Marianne Williamson, who is undoubtedly the best equipped public figure to take on the essentially spiritual role of Peace Candidate?
I think there is.
The readings call her to:
- Insist that we've indeed all be grasped by a "dark psychic force" that ignores shared humanity and sees war as a first option rather than as a last resort.
- Be transfigured into 2024's Peace Candidate by heeding Moses, Elijah, and Yeshua, the champions of her native Jewish faith.
- Be transformed as well by listening to the world's non-western, mostly non-white majority and their reluctance or downright refusal to endorse U.S. insistence on controlling the world far from its own shores.
- Recognize that in line with the teachings of A Course in Miracles, the U.S. and NATO are 100% responsible for the Ukraine crisis.
- Call for an immediate ceasefire and diplomatic negotiations to end the war.
- Go for broke by ignoring those who will characterize her opposition to the war as na??ve and unrealistic - as if risking nuclear annihilation were more sophisticated and mature.
- Truly embrace the teachings of A Course in Miracles that identifies the source of peace in its refusal to be frightened by non-existent threats and attacks.
- Or as The Course puts it: "Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the PEACE of God." (Emphasis added)
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