1998-09-20. Significance of Ceremonies
Nashville #62
Topic: Significance of Ceremonies
Group: Nashville TeaM
Teacher: Ham
TR: Rebecca
Opening
Ham: Greetings, children, I am Ham and I am grateful for your coming here tonight. We are scheduled to begin discussing . .. greetings children, I am sorry for the breakup of communication. Tonight we shall discuss ceremonies and the cultural significance attached to these things.
Lesson
Ritual
Ceremonies bind human beings together. They create the circumstance for the physical getting together of people and this is designed to lower tensions and ease strained relationships. People who regularly attend church service and witness mass, for example, join together in a common ceremony with others that transcends their differences and creates the bonding that solidifies communities and neighborhoods.
There is something wonderful about a time when people put aside their differences and come together in the ceremony that commemorates their highest yearnings, longings, and aspirations. The remembrance supper, which became in later times a mass, is such a ceremony that binds human beings together in a common remembrance of the life of Jesus. Unfortunately, this great tradition ceremony has narrowed and become exclusive in modern times and most of the world cannot relate to this ceremony any more. There will come a time when there must be given to Urantia a new and greater ceremony for the purpose of binding people’s together that includes the Christian, the Moslem, the Hindu, and the Sikh, the Buddhist and the Jainist, the Taoist and the follower of Confucius. All must be brought together in a single, simple ceremony.
Ceremonies are powerful, you commemorate your most solemn acts with a ceremony. The wedding ceremony and the exchange of vows leads into the greatest human institution, that is marriage and home building. Before your sporting events, you sing the national anthem that reminds people on both sides of the event, who root for either team, that you are brethren in a larger sense. You have ceremonies to commemorate accomplishments such as education graduations. You have ceremonies to commemorate accomplishments in every field of endeavor for the prize itself, the plaque or statue, is not as meaningful in itself as the commemoration ceremony that accompanies it.
So, ceremonies bring together people with a common interest or profession as they honor those who have achieved their highest esteem during the year. So, everyone is as one for a few moments, wishing well to the commemorees. Ceremonies are very important When you, in your protestant religions have a worship service, it is really more of a worship ceremony where the Father is praised communally and all the people taking part in that praise feel bonded together and at one with each other.
The world will have to find a way to bring this concept of ceremony into an international level where even nations win awards for things like environmental progress, educational progress, things of that sort where the leaders of these nations can bring home a ceremonial plaque of accomplishment for their people and all can join in a common feeling of accomplishment. Yes, nations, as people, need to feel pride in their accomplishments and need recognition from other nations.
Politics
Your world focuses much too much on the negative and does not give incentives towards positive change in the world. Your world is making a transition between the time when might made right and the time when right is right for its own sake. As your people have not cherished righteousness, but rather cherished power, so your nations have likewise and power is still the great means of leverage in international relations.
You are going through a time when the people themselves are recognizing the great necessity for global restructuring and the people will, when presented with positive leadership, respond and actually recreate the political structure of your world. But, all these things must be done in an entirely positive manner. There can be no stick, only carrots in the future world order. And ceremonies, children, will be a large carrot and a great force for good in the world.
There will come a time when those who take the vows of public office will do so in truth and absolutely, irrevocably from the heart. It is unfortunate that so many of your public servants are only interested in their own personal ambition and power and they do not take their vows to represent the people as seriously as they take their bank accounts. It is likewise unfortunate that these same public servants will do anything and say anything to gain or preserve their power.
It is good that your nation is going through a soul searching at this time and also that you recognize that a corrupt tree bears corrupt fruit and a good tree bears goodly fruit. You cannot get good fruit from a corrupt tree or bad fruit from a good tree. When historians look back upon this time, it is our profound hope that they will see the beginning of a national cleansing and purging of corruption and they will see that the people no longer wanted to tolerate this corruption.
The truth, children, is its own power. The truth doesn’t need money. The truth doesn’t need self-gratification. When you find leaders among you who will represent the truth in its purity, you will find the corruption will fall away of its own.Your world has been through so much and we sympathize and understand how the confusion brought by the rebellion and your subsequent isolation has permeated every aspect of your world. Yes, every aspect. There is no area of your world where there is not some measure of corruption, in the churches, in your educational system, your political system, all your business, everything. So, look well within your hearts and seek Divine aid in purging out those elements of corruption that exist there.
Teaching Mission
You who follow this mission, must do so fearlessly. You must leave behind the lure and intoxication of riches, of fame, of success in all its forms. For though you will have success, you must not ever be swayed by the attitude of trying to protect it because it will come and go. Neither must you be touched by apparent failures, for failures are the building blocks with which you will create something lasting.
You who are gathered here are called to take the message, the message of the Fatherhood of God, the brotherhood of man, and progressive, eternal, spiritual advancement into the world. We will guide you, we will consult with you, we will aid your every step, but we do not want to be the focus as such. We want you each to be a focus of the message.
As to the question discussed earlier between Rebecca and Brodan, yes it would be fine to work on this compilation, but it is not advisable that either of you should be publically associated with this mission at this time. You ask about putting Fred’s name on that book as well, fine, fine, that is fine. Vincent has taken this step to follow his adjuster guidance and become a public spokesperson for the mission and this is his task and no one else’s at this time. Correct.
Dialogue
Cooperation
Q: What about the necessity of trade, economic crisis, environmental problems like global warming? Will these compel us to reorganize? Not as a stick forcing us to do it, but as a motivational force?
Ham: The economic ties between nations are indeed leading toward compelling a global court system, for example, and this is very good and we applaud this development. And, yes, there are some environmental factors that are allowing international cooperation in bringing down pollution, yes you are correct.
Q: It seems like the nations are like individuals in that we need these failures to teach us the right direction to take?
Ham: Exactly.
Mind
Q: There are some of us who feel less comfortable with ceremonies than others, for example I have missed all my graduation ceremonies. Is this something I should try to get over?
Ham: Yes, it is easy for the intellect to discount ceremony, to view it as empty and meaningless. But, those who participate in these ceremonies always feel something has been added to them. They feel a part of something greater than themselves and this is accomplished through a simple ceremony. The soul always yearns for connectedness, while the intellect, by its very nature, sorts and divides and finds differences in order to understand meanings. So, the intellect can never grasp the significance of ceremony because it is a morontial experience that is beyond intellect.
Q: Does the intellect have a tendency towards isolation because of this sorting and separating?
Ham: Absolutely. It is the intellect that says, I am so complicated, nobody can understand me. The intellect says I am an island unto myself. The soul says, I am so simple, everyone can feel as I feel and I am a part of everyone and everyone is a part of me. Is this helping your understanding?
Q: I find that when I go to church, I am fine with how I feel about the people and much of what they do like singing the songs, then when they start talking about the beliefs of the church I find I disagree and that means I have a hard time joining in after that.
Ham: Yes, it is unfortunate that your churches are so dogmatic, that they attempt to reduce the infinite, eternal down to something understandable and manageable.
Q: That is a product of the intellect too, dogma?
Ham: Yes. But, it is important for the individual religionist to look past this rigid and intellectualizing of faith and embrace the wonderful and uplifting moments of worship with the congregation. For in the end, it doesn’t matter what you think. When people come together in the name of the Father and the Son, it is important only what they feel.
Personal Counsel
Q: Do you have anything for Esmirelda?
Ham: Certainly, daughter, you are reaching out to the Father, to Christ Michael, and are now able to reach out to other people in new ways that you haven’t done before. Yes, your heart is opening, continue to let it open.
Q: Elena?
Ham: Elena, daughter, you too are experiencing that opening up with others that you have not been able to do before. You are beginning to find out that you can reveal your inner self without fear or worries about rejection or non-acceptance. Yes, you can love and be loved in return without fear.
Q: Frankie?
Ham: Son, you are expanding your mind. Take care that you expand your heart as well. Let your understanding of your fellows go deep. You have a good ability to see the truth within others, but you sometimes hide it from yourself and rely on the opinions of others. Open up you own inner guidance system. Yes, and don’t reject your inner feelings.
Q: Rebecca.
Ham: Rebecca, daughter, your hour has not yet come and you must be patient and remain in preparation for your future task. Do not become discouraged or slack in your duties to study and expand your understanding of the world. These things are all necessary and this time is necessary, especially. Fear not, for all is well and as it should be.
Q: Jarad?
Ham: Jarad, my son, your hour is upon you, but likewise you do well to continue in your preparation for the tasks that will be required of you. Your health is good and improving. Your mind is strong. Your spiritual connection to your inner spirit is good. So, fear not about what to say or how to be for the Father will direct these things at the time. Be at ease, but at the same time be prepared.
Q: Ham, Amalain and Jim send their greetings and miss you and are looking forward to rejoining the group. Amalain requests a message and also one for Jim.
Ham: Yes, I likewise miss their company and their contribution to our discussions. Children, you both do well. If you have little disagreements or quarrels, know that this is part of the adjustment process. All relationships require adjustment and give and take on both sides. But, these early frictions will subside as you intelligently adjust to each other’s needs. Where there is love, all things are possible and where there is love, all else is trivial.
Q: Ham, this morning, Adelle thinks she might have made a teacher contact. She did some writing and had a pretty profound experience. With that as a context, she asks for a message tonight.
Ham: Wonderful child of God, you are indeed a precious one. You are ministered to and looked after by many angels and others who take much interest in your progress and your life. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. For as you reach to grasp another’s hand, this teacher has reached to you as well. Be awake to the fact that as you are loved, so are you needed. Your contribution is essential to the Master’s plan. May his love and his light be upon you always as you take steps out into a new world. Be of good cheer. All is well.
Q: Ham do you have a message for me please?
Ham: Yes, son, you are doing very well. We applaud your progress and you will have many observers tomorrow night as you receive your award for fine work and an achievement well done. Remember that you are not alone in success or in defeat. There are many that surround you and share in all these things. Be of good cheer and go in peace, for all is as it should be.
Q: Ham do you have feedback for me this week please?
Ham: Brodan, you are doing well and achieving solid and permanent success. I am happy that Imanni is with you and that she is bringing you closer and closer to God the Father through her gentle ministrations. I am pleased to see that you are working with the children again in such a positive way. You are giving them more than you know. Yes, you are doing very well son. We are thrilled at your positive spiritual growth. Continue to consult with Imanni in your quiet times and take some extra time for stillness when you can. I know you are very busy and it is hard during this time of year to remember the stillness, but it is very important for you.
Q: Ham would you have anything for Mo and Nancy?
Ham: Children you do well in all your endeavors. Look at all you have accomplished with your children. Love each other, respect each other, and cherish each other even as you cherish your children. Don’t forget to have private time with just the two of you to keep your communication strong. You do well, both of you, be at peace.
Q: Anything for me Ham?
Ham: Vontis, you are resisting some issue that is needing to be looked at because it will come through the subconscious and effect your life. It is an honesty question of seeing clearly your own feelings and motivations and not taking on what other’s want or what you think you should want and be. This week, it would be helpful for you to write down on a piece of paper, “I like myself because I am” then list some things then on another column or page write “I don’t like myself because I am” then list some things. Just be totally honest and let anything come out in both columns. Don’t try to censor anything, This is just an exercise for you.
Closing
If there are no further questions I will retire. Once again, my love and my prayers are with you each. Farewell.
