Dear Family,

We realize that today’s message may be quite different from us. I, Rev. Steve, felt very strongly guided to share it. Wise and loving counsel from our dear friend and Producer encouraged this preface and we are so grateful to her for doing so.

Mary and I see the great need in our country and in our world today, for as many of us as possible to draw a wider circle of love and understanding. There exists, an understandable perception that we need to “stay in our own lanes,” to feel safe and respected and accepted. Yet, these times call for us who have given much of our lives to unconditional love, to stretch even further to bring into our respective circles, others with more compassion, more willingness to forgive and to see past divisiveness. How can we ever realize Oneness unless we do?

We love you and hope you will feel that in this message,

Rev. Steve and Mary

Our written message today essentially mirrors much of the video with exceptions and additions, of course. We want to dedicate today’s message to the memory and legacy of Charlie Kirk. I will talk more about him and his work in a moment.

The simple title for today is “Jesus.” And a reasonable question might be, well, Rev. Steve, which Jesus? Are you speaking of the one that I learned about as a child, from the song, “Jesus loves me?” Is it the Jesus that I have seen portrayed in movies like “The Passion” where he is being beaten and hung on a cross to die only to rise again? Or the Jesus who performed miracle after miracle during his rather short life? Or is it the Jesus I have come to know through other means?

Let me attempt to answer your likely questions. I am speaking of Jesus the Christ, the One we call in New Thought, “The Great Example,” Our “Wayshower.” For me, he is the One who called me some 41 years ago to take up the study of A Course in Miracles. A work that you, no doubt, have heard me say several times before – “is the masterpiece of Truth that he authored through the willingness of Helen Schucman as scribe with the support of her associate Bill Thetford.”

On this past Sunday, I sat with Mary and her brother, Bill and his wife, Lavena and her sister, Fran and her husband, Bob for seven hours as we watched and listened to the Memorial to Charlie Kirk whose physical life was ended by an assassin’s bullet only 11 days before. 

These two precious couples are more traditional in their Christian beliefs, which Mary and I totally respect. The audience there in the Arizona stadium, as many of you may know, was comprised of people of all ages – many of them young people, people, many of whom had traveled hundreds and even thousands of miles to attend. Millions more, some from other countries, watched the broadcast from their homes. 

There, Jesus’ name was repeated over and over. Often, more traditional statements about Him were made. The music and praise, the words of many, the images, the great desire to honor this young man – his vision, his calling, his dedication to a cause that he believed in so deeply, touched me to the point where I could not contain my tears.

I felt, with all my heart, the Presence of the Holy Spirit in that stadium and thereby, in my heart. Any differences in the form of the way we may see Jesus simply melted away. I was astounded to learn of how profoundly this young man, beginning at such a young age and with practically no financial means, had answered the Call that has led to deeply affecting so many lives for the better, especially young men across our Nation and in other countries.

His earnest desire was to do God’s will, and I am sure that is still his Soul’s desire as he adjusts to his new experience of life with an even greater awareness of the Holy help that surrounds him. His widow, a precious young lady, Erika Kirk, spoke toward the end of the Service. She spoke of their love for one another and for their two young children. She spoke of their dedication to God and to God’s calling. She spoke of how her husband loved everyone, even those with whom he disagreed or who disagreed with him, even those who over the years, threatened his life. Finally, she spoke of the man who fired the shot that took the physical life of her husband. And then, she gave her forgiveness to this man. 

She said that is what Jesus would do and what Charlie would want. In so doing, she gave all who were present, all who were watching, even those who were not, a great gift. In the face of such great loss, she modeled unconditional love and forgiveness – the very essence of the message of Jesus in his ministry two thousand years ago, in his words in the Gospels and in A Course in Miracles.

The Jesus I know is not concerned with form. He wants us to bear fruit, to be devoted to God, and doing God’s will. He wants us to leave no one out of our circle of care and compassion. And He wants us, above all, to love one another as he has loved us and loves us still.

We all know in our hearts, beyond all appearances of disagreement or position, that Love is not only the Answer but is the Essence of God and thereby the Essence of each of us. 

Jesus is our Great Example and is here to help us forgive and live in Love. By deepening our relationship with him, we are richly blessed and better equipped to be the light that each of us is called to be.  

We hope you will find this message helpful and reassuring.

Jesus does love you more than words can convey, and we love you, precious Friends,

Rev. Steve and Mary