The Deep Secret

These are words of mystery and power.  They are addressed to the few, to those who have followed us through the teachings of the Course, to those who are ready, to those who have the open minds of babes…

“Jesus…said; ‘I THANK THEE, O FATHER, LORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, BECAUSE THOU HAST HID THESE THINGS FROM THE WISE AND PRUDENT AND REVEALED THEM UNTO BABES’.”  (Matt. 11, 25.)
Are you a babe?  Have you really the open mind of a young child who can behold the deep mysteries of the sunset, the glories of the resplendent sky, the wild grandeur of the sea, and can accept without question until, with the passing of time, these things have become part of life?  In order to understand and use the knowledge contained in the “Deep Secret” you have to have the mind of a babe.  Do not try to understand with your intellect; behold the mystery, let it sink into your inmost heart and gradually it will grow into a very part of you.

These are words of mystery and power, of grandeur, of beauty, of music, of love, of life!  They open up the heavens and make all things one, they cause you to stand in the midst of eternity, a child of the universe, a God among the spheres.  They give you the voice to cry amid the stars.

“FATHER I THANK THEE THAT THOU HAST HEARD ME AND I KNOW THAT THOU HEAREST ME ALWAYS.”  (John 11, 41 & 42.)

“IF THOU CANST BELIEVE, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE TO HIM THAT BELIEVETH”, said the Master.  (Mark 9., 23.)  Or in more homely words;
“IF YOU CAN GRASP THIS FACT, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE TO HIM WHO CAN GRASP IT.

“What fact is this, which is so important as to give a man the power of God?  For the Master also said;
“WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.” (Mark 10., 27.)

To tell us that all things are possible to us, if we can but grasp the fact, is to tell us, then, that we can have the power of gods!

“ALL THINGS ARE DELIVERED UNTO ME OF MY FATHER”, continued the Master, “AND NO MAN KNOWETH THE SON BUT THE FATHER, NEITHER KNOWETH ANY MAN THE FATHER SAVE THE SON, AND TO WHOMSOEVER THE SON WILL REVEAL HIM.  COME UNTO ME, ALL YE THAT LABOUR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST.  TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU AND LEARN OF ME, FOR I AM MEEK AND LOWLY IN HEART, AND YE SHALL FIND REST UNTO YOUR SOULS, FOR MY YOKE IS EASY AND MY BURDEN IS LIGHT.”  (Matt. 11., 27-30.)

Why should the burden be made light?

“NEITHER KNOWETH ANY MAN THE FATHER, SAVE THE SON, AND TO WHOMSOEVER THE SON WILL REVEAL HIM.”

The burden will be made light, because He will reveal to us who the Father is; and this, my friends is the “Deep Secret”.

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PHILLIP SAITH UNTO HIM, ‘LORD, SHOW US THE FATHER AND IT SUFFICETH US.’  JESUS SAITH UNTO HIM; ‘HAVE I BEEN SO LONG TIME WITH YOU, AND YET HAST THOU NOT KNOWN ME, PHILLIP?  HE THAT HATH SEEN ME HATH SEEN THE FATHER…BELIEVEST THOU NOT THAT I AM IN THE FATHER AND THE FATHER IN ME?  THE WORDS THAT I SPEAK UNTO YOU I SPEAK NOT OF MYSELF, BUT THE FATHER THAT DWELLETH IN ME, HE DOETH THE WORKS.  BELIEVE ME THAT I AM IN THE FATHER, AND THE FATHER IN ME, OR ELSE BELIEVE ME FOR THE VERY WORKS’ SAKE.  VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU, HE THAT BELIEVETH ON ME, THE WORKS THAT I DO SHALL HE DO ALSO, AND GREATER WORKS THAN THESE SHALL HE DO BECAUSE I GO UNTO MY FATHER.  AND WHATSOEVER YE SHALL ASK IN MY NAME, THAT WILL I DO, THAT THE FATHER MAY BE GLORIFIED IN THE SON.  IF YE SHALL ASK ANYTHING IN MY NAME, I WILL DO IT.'”  (John 14., 8-14.)

Not only is it necessary to be “shown” the Father, but we must “know his name”.

“I WILL DELIVER HIM, I WILL SET HIM ON HIGH, BECAUSE HE HATH KNOWN MY NAME.  HE SHALL CALL UPON ME AND I WILL ANSWER HIM; I WILL BE WITH HIM IN TROUBLE; I WILL DELIVER HIM AND HONOUR HIM.”  (Psalm 91, 14-15)

What is in a name?  We say, on seeing a stranger walk by and greet our companion; “Who is that?” and our companion may say; That is John Smith.”  The name reveals the identity, the name tells us who he is.  Now do you see why it is so essential to know the Father’s Name?  When we know his name, we know who he is.  If you asked a person to write a letter in your name and order you a pair of shoes, you would not expect the writer to receive the shoes.  You would expect to receive them exactly as though you yourself wrote the letter.  If you said to your brother who was visiting a mutual friend; “Greet James in my name”, the greeting would come from you exactly as though you yourself had spoken it.  Therefore, when the Master said; “Ask in My Name”, He obviously meant that we were to speak to God as sons exactly as though we were Christ Himself.  And this is not so startling as it might appear at first for we are told that we are “sons of God and joint-heirs with Christ”.  (Rom. 8., 17.)

Are you beginning to understand?  I am bringing you slowly to the truth which so few have understood, although the Bible is teeming with allusions to it once you have the key and know what to look for.  Let us return to the exercise with the piece of paper which we have twice mentioned in the Course.  In the first exercise you thrust your finger through the paper – do you remember?  The paper represented the veil between the seen and the unseen, your finger represented you in the physical world and the rest of your hand, on the other side of the paper, represented the hidden you which is one with the father.

“I SHALL SHOW YOU PLAINLY OF THE FATHER”, said the Master.  (John 16. 25.)  And St. Paul spoke of;

“THE MYSTERY OF…THE FATHER, IN WHOM IS HID ALL THE TREASURES OF WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE.”  (Col. 2,  203.)  Said St. John;

“BEHOLD WHAT MANNER OF LOVE THE FATHER HATH BESTOWED UPON US, THAT WE SHOULD BE CALLED THE SONS OF GOD…BELOVED, NOW ARE WE THE SONS OF GOD.”  (1 John 3., 1-2.)

Think for a moment of your earthly being like this: –

The base of the triangle is the earth, the sloping sides, your two legs reaching down and contacting the earth; the peak of the triangle is the point of your highest aspirations and desires.  Now think of the Heavenly Father as another triangle, but like this: –

The inverted “base” is Heaven and the sloping sides are reaching down, carrying power to touch at the “peak”, your own peak.  Put these two together and you have your complete self; like this:-

In the lower triangle your legs are contacting the earth and in the upper triangle your arms are reaching up to Heaven.  But what of the centre, the point of contact between the two “peaks”, the “narrow way” There dwells the Christ in you.

St. Paul said: “MY LITTLE CHILDREN, OF WHOM I TRAVAIL IN BIRTH AGAIN UNTIL CHRIST BE FORMED IN YOU.”  (Gal. 4., 19.)  Or “until you realise the Christ within you”.  For, my friends, this is the Christ who judges you, this Christ who is your own higher self.  When you have cast out every obstacle and yielded yourself to this Christ utterly, He will open the way and you will pass through into the realm of the Father, which is your highest self.  For “your Father in Heaven” is none other than your highest self and the “Father in Heaven” is the highest self of every man collectively.  And if you doubt these statements, here is the proof of each in turn.

THIS IS THE CHRIST WHO JUDGES YOU.  “FOR THE FATHER JUDGETH NO MAN BUT HATH COMMITTED ALL JUDGEMENT UNTO THE SON.”  (John 14., 6.)

THIS CHRIST SHALL OPEN THE WAY AND YOU WILL PASS THROUGH INTO THE REALM OF THE FATHER.  “THEN SAID JESUS UNTO THEM AGAIN; ‘VERILY, VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, I AM THE DOOR … BY ME IF ANY MAN ENTER IN, HE SHALL BE SAVED, AND SHALL GO IN AND OUT, AND FIND PASTURE.’ “(John 10., 7 & 9.)

“JESUS SAITH UNTO HIM, ‘I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE. NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER BUT BY ME.'”  (John 14., 6.)

“ENTER YE IN AT THE STRAIT GATE…BECAUSE STRAIT IS THE GATE AND NARROW IS THE WAY WHICH LEADETH UNTO LIFE, AND FEW THERE BE THAT FIND IT.”  (Matt. 7., 13-14.)

THE REALM OF THE FATHER IS YOUR HIGHEST SELF.  “THAT THEY ALL MAY BE ONE, AS THOU, FATHER, ART IN ME AND I IN THEE, THAT THEY ALSO MAY BE ONE IN US…THAT THEY MAY BE ONE, EVEN AS WE ARE ONE…THOU…HAST LOVED THEM, AS THOU HAST LOVED ME.”  (John 17., 21-23.)

Emerson had found  “The Deep Secret”.  He wrote; “I, the imperfect, adore my own Perfect”.  How can you utilise your first glimpse of this secret?  You can use it particularly in times of trial.  Do not feel that God is a separate Being far beyond you.  Think instead that your own Father in Heaven is part of your very self.

“KNOW YE NOT THAT YE ARE THE TEMPLE OF GOD AND THAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD DWELLETH IN YOU?”  (1. Cor. 3., 16.)

Know, then, that because you and the Father are one – that is, both temple and Spirit – you have the whole resources of His wisdom on which to draw.  You need not strain and strive and rebel, seeking to give your lower self the indulgence of all its wishes.

“DENY YOURSELF”, said the Master.  “TAKE UP YOUR CROSS AND FOLLOW ME.”  (Mark 8., 34.)

This does not mean that you must practise a long and gloomy time of self-denial.  It means that you should deny the “separateness” of your lower self and realise the “all-oness” of your Real Self, that you should “carry the cross” by accepting your trials in order to learn from life’s lessons from them and then follow Christ – where?  Through the “door” of your inmost being and into the realm of the Father.  When you enter this realm you will come into a state of utmost calm.  “It is only the finite that suffers,” wrote Emerson  “The Infinite lies stretched in smiling repose”.  All your trials will work themselves out.  All people will minister to you, whether consciously or unconsciously, and you will have entered into the Kingdom of heaven within.

“ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD, TO THEM WHO ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE.”  (Rom. 8., 28.)

Take a look at the diagram of your “complete self” again. Realise that you must drop all the obstacles and loads of worldliness before you can pass Christ the Judge and to enter into the realm of the Father or the kingdom of heaven within you.  And when you do enter that kingdom you and the King will be one…

“JESUS SAITH UNTO THEM; ‘CHILDREN, HOW HARD IT IS FOR THEM THAT TRUST IN RICHES TO ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD!  IT IS EASIER FOR A CAMEL TO GO THROUGH THE EYE OF A NEEDLE THAN FOR A RICH MAN TO ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD.'”  AND THEY WERE ASTONISHED OUT OF MEASURE, SAYING AMONG THEMSELVES, ‘WHO THEN CAN BE SAVED?’  “AND JESUS…SAITH;’WITH MEN IT IS IMPOSSIBLE, BUT NOT WITH GOD, FOR WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE’.”  (Mark 10., 24-27.)

Do you see here a veiled allusion to the “narrow way”?  A camel going through the eye of a needle!  A man going through the “door of Christ”!  And do you see the Master says it is impossible for a man to be saved?  If not a man, then who is there to be saved?  Only a man who has passed through the door into the realm of the Father and has there become one with the King…Only a man, surely, who has become a god”.

JESUS ANSWERED; ‘IS IT NOT WRITTEN IN YOUR LAW, I SAID YE ARE GODS?….. HE CALLED THEM GODS, UNTO WHOM THE WORD OF GOD CAME.'” (John 10. 34-35.)

When once you know “the deep secret” you have the key to all knowledge, the key to all power, the key to heaven itself.  You are no longer a tiny, helpless being, walking alone upon the earth, looked down upon from a vast distance by an impersonal God.  You are a mighty Being of immense power, of tremendous capabilities, waiting only for you to grasp the truth of their existence.  “If you can grasp this truth, all things are possible to him that can grasp it.”

We said just now that a name was a revelation of identity, that if we know the name of a person, we know who he is. Hear, then, these final words of the Master’s concerning our Father in Heaven.

“I HAVE MANIFESTED THY NAME UNTO THE MEN WHICH THOU GAVEST ME OUT OF THE WORLD… NOW THEY HAVE KNOWN THAT ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER THOU HAST GIVEN ME ARE OF THEE.  FOR I HAVE GIVEN THEM THE WORDS WHICH THOU GAVEST ME, AND THEY HAVE RECEIVED THEM… I PRAY FOR THEM, WHICH THOU HAST GIVEN ME FOR THEY ARE THINE… HOLY FATHER, KEEP THEM THROUGH THINE OWN NAME THOSE WHO THOU HAST GIVEN ME, THAT THEY MAY BE ONE, AS WE ARE… THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE MY JOY FULFILLED IN THEMSEVES… NEITHER PRAY I FOR THESE ALONE, BUT FOR THEM ALSO WHICH SHALL BELIEVE ON ME THROUGH THEIR WORD; THAT THEY ALL MAY BE ONE; AS THOU, FATHER, ART IN ME AND I IN THEE, THAT THEY ALSO MAY BE ONE IN US… FATHER, I WILL THAT THEY ALSO WHOM THOU HAST GIVEN ME BE WITH ME WHERE I AM… O RIGHTEOUS FATHER, THE WORLD HAS NOT KNOWN THEE, BUT I HAVE KNOWN THEE AND THESE HAVE KNOWN THAT THOU HAST SENT ME AND I HAVE DECLARED UNTO THEM THY NAME.”  (John 17., 6-26)

Out of ancient Persia there comes the story of a man who, after living a good and useful life went to the gates of Heaven and knocked.  A Voice asked him who he was and he answered; “Thy servant, Lord”.  The gates were not opened and the man returned to earth.  After a time he again approached the heavenly gates and on being asked who he was, replied; “Thy son, O Lord”.  But still the gates did not open.  So the man returned to the earth again and spent a long time in meditation and prayer.  Once more he approached the gates and when the Voice asked who he was, he cried aloud; “Thyself, O God!”  And the gates opened wide…
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I cannot take you any further from this point for I myself have only just reached the edge of understanding, am only just beginning to realise the wonder and immensity of this truth.  Perhaps you yourselves can go on seeking from here, remembering that wonderful promise;

“ASK AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN TO YOU; SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND, KNOCK AND IT SHALL BE OPENED UNTO YOU, FOR EVERY ONE THAT ASKETH RECEIVETH, AND HE THAT SEEKETH FINDETH, AND TO HIM THAT KNOCKETH IT SHALL BE OPENED.”  (Matt. 7., 7-8.)

In this spirit, then, my friends, I offer to you “The Deep Secret”.

By Bernard