_________________ Among the prayers of the world which seek to unite humanity, the sacred Hebrew prayer known as the 'Shema' stands as a call not just to the people of one religion, but to the people of all religions - to hear, to listen, to understand: "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One." This prayer, which gives testimony to the establishment of monotheism at a time of spiritual plurality, is a call to all of humanity. Its message is commanding. Its promise eternal. "The Lord is One." Only One rules the universe. Only One created all things. Only One is all that is. The Hebrew 'Shema' is a call to the Covenant - to the eternal bond between Creator and created that spans all religions and cultures, asking that mankind live in the light of the One and shape life according to the precepts of light and truth, loving God and loving each other. This Covenant is mankind's deepest truth and the expression of its deepest nature. It is what it means to be a holy people. It is what it means to live in a state of Grace. The historic 'Israel', descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as with other spiritual lineages, is more than its physical representation. For each spiritual current that has an authentic root plants a seed in the spiritual life of the earth, bringing to collective consciousness something that no longer belongs to just itself, but that nourishes all of mankind. This seed, planted by the peoples of history, then spreads out across the land, forming new seeds of consciousness wherever it takes root, mingling with the pre-existing awareness of all nations and all peoples until it finally becomes part of the collective consciousness of mankind and is no longer particular or historical. In performing its function, the spiritual seed of an authentic spiritual current becomes many seeds, and those who gather the fruits of these seeds are the many of the different spiritual cultures of the world. It is in this way that the Divine Call to Israel speaks to the heart of humanity. "The Lord is One" is a call to understand the nature of being One. For God is all and is in all, and all is God and is in God. This is the truth of the One. Across all religions, times, and universes, across all cultures and forms of expression, this truth is what shall bind the earth into one holy planet and permit her to join with her brothers and sisters throughout the galaxy and beyond the stars.
Article Section - Individual |
