I was listening to the news in the car yesterday and discovered a judge in Toronto had banned a Christmas tree from the courthouse because it represented a Christian holiday.

The Seattle airport had also removed a large Christmas tree because a Rabbi said he’d sue if a giant menorah wasn’t erected. (later he said he was kidding)

A woman put up a wreath on her condo in the shape of a peace sign and the strata council asked her to remove it because it was a pagan symbol.

All three of these events were because someone complained. Why do we have to be so exclusive instead of inclusive? The courthouse and the airport could have erected Jewish symbols and any other symbols for various religious holidays in December. And all three “authorities” could have done some research on the symbols before demanding their removal.

A woman called in to the radio station while I was listening and said this was just another example of Christians being persecuted. And there’s the answer to my question: We take things too personally!! Someone looked at a beautifully decorated tree (which is actually a pre-Christian symbol) and decided it was personally offensive. Their attitude was “What about me? I’m __________. (Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, whatever) and why isn’t my faith represented just as vividly as Christianity?” The good of the whole was sacrificed for the good of one.

These outpicturings are macrocosmic reflections of the microcosm of our personal lives. Where are we taking things too personally? Where are we expecting others to live according to the way we think life should be lived? The holidays are certainly good mirrors of our consciousness, collectively or individually!

This season let’s practice being more authentically Spirit … unconditionally loving!

Blessings, Rev. Angelica

SPIRITUAL MIND TREATMENT

There is only One Presence manifesting though and as many names, many religions. This Presence also knows Itself by our name. It our lifeforce, the vitality that animates our physical being. No matter what we call It, or how we worship It, It changes not. It just is. Unconditionally loving, infinitely intelligent, everywhere present.

Today I declare I will not take anything personally. I know in Truth, that everything in my life is here by my acceptance of it. I choose to let go and let the Divine Presence move through me in waves of Love. I choose to let others be exactly who they are without any preconceived ideas of what that should be. I no longer require that anyone live according to the rules I have set up for my life. Today I practice loving unconditionally, and in this way I reflect my Divine Nature.

Gratefully I release these words into Spiritual Law, knowing they are already done.

And so it is.