Secrets of God

by Slawek Wojtowicz

  107. (1) Jesus said, “The Kingdom is like a shepherd who had a hundred sheep. One of them, the largest, went astray. (2) He left the ninety-nine sheep and looked for that one until he found it. (3) When he had gone to such trouble, he said to the sheep, ‘I love you more than the ninety-nine.’”

  This is a truly fascinating parable. Please compare this version with Saying 109 and the canonical gospels (Luke 15: 3–7 and Matthew 18: 12–14):

  “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

  In the gospel of Thomas, the lost sheep happens to be the largest of all. It is also the bravest one, or perhaps the most adventurous one, since it chose to explore the world on its own. In human terms that particular sheep is the most individuated of the whole herd. Perhaps that’s why it is favored by the shepherd over others, who blindly follow the herd. As pointed out earlier, we have to think independently to discover the hidden truths about God, us, and the world. Being independent entails some risks, such as being lost away from the herd. Yet God will not abandon us when we decide to seek for answers; indeed, he will favor us over those who prefer the mindless safety of the herd.

  Some may ask how it is that the sinner is the largest of all sheep? How come God loves sinners more than those who live their lives without straying from the path? I would venture to speculate that God loves stories, and sinners’ lives make for much more interesting fables than those of the pious. Since most of us prefer to watch dramatic movies over boring ones, perhaps God is not that different from us in that respect. If you had a choice, would you prefer to experience the adventures of Indiana Jones or rather spend your life as a clerk at a gas station, who never does anything interesting?

  There is a saying attributed to Oscar Wilde that “every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.” Since virtually all of us end up erring on our path towards home, let’s make it an interesting journey! But it has to be a conscious journey as well. Socrates pointed out that “the unexamined life is not worth living” (Plato, Dialogues/Apology). Sinners who are unable to change and remain sinful for the whole course of their life do not awaken. Indeed, those who hurt others unconsciously ultimately bring pain and suffering for themselves as well, and end up being reborn over and over again until they learn their lessons. Ironically, suffering is what causes us to awaken faster. Perhaps the main reason that so few of us have awakened to date is exactly that: Very few of us fall into the category of saints who used to be sinners. See also Luke 16: 7: “There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner repenting than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”

  This story resonates with the parable of the prodigal son. The obedient son who stayed home was dismayed that their father was celebrating the return of his irresponsible brother who “squandered his wealth in wild living.” The father’s response was, “My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found” (Luke 15: 11–32). God rejoices when those of us who were dead—living in separation from God (who is Life)—find our way back home. Just imagine your own joy if a close member of your family who you thought was dead appeared unexpectedly on your doorstep!

  Buddhist teachings about the Bodhisattva path suggest that the fastest way to liberation is to delay our own awakening and to focus on helping all other sentient beings to awaken first. Paradoxically, such selflessness speeds up the awakening of the seeker. Some imply that when you take this path and finally awaken, you will find that you were indeed the last one to reach awakening: everyone else is already awake, anxiously awaiting your return to our shared home. The paradox is that since we are all one, nobody can awaken in isolation. Since the Kingdom of Heaven is outside of time, in the everlasting NOW, from God’s point of view we all awaken all at once, in the present moment. Even though from our perspective everyone awakens at a different time, we do indeed awaken simultaneously, since only this very moment that we call NOW is real and we all awaken in the NOW. That’s why Jesus insisted that God “is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Mark 12: 27). All prior and future NOWs are not accessible to us before we awaken, but they will be once we do. Thus, everyone who ever lived or will live is still alive in God’s eyes. When we awaken we will meet again all of the relatives we thought we’d lost. They are not dead—they live in the eternal Divine realm of NOW, even though from our point of view they are outside of the narrow sliver of time where we are currently trapped.

  108. (1) Jesus said, “He who will drink from my mouth will become like me. (2) I myself shall become him, (3) and the things that are hidden will be revealed to him.”

  Christianity was plan B. Jesus wanted to teach his disciples how to become like him—that was the plan A. He didn’t come to start a new religion; he didn’t want us to become Christians, but instead wanted each one of us to become a Christ like him. Unfortunately, most of his contemporaries were not ready for his teachings. It took almost 2000 years for a significant portion of humanity to get closer to the truths that he taught. We are finally ready for the really good news: Since the same Christ lives in all of us, it is this shared identity that we have to uncover within. Once we awaken, all the wondrous mysteries of life and of the universe will be revealed to us.

  109. (1) Jesus said, “The Kingdom is like a man who had a hidden treasure in his field without knowing it. And after he died, he left it to his son. (2) The son did not know about the treasure. He inherited the field and sold it. (3) And the one who bought it went plowing and found the treasure. He began to lend money at interest to whomever he wished.”

  Please compare with Saying 107. We have a treasure hidden within that we are not aware of. Our true identity of the Christ, God’s only child. Once we discover it, our life is transformed forever; it acquires a new meaning and purpose. We are happy to give others what they think they are missing; we want to help others to awaken and share in God’s love. Our life becomes a joyful play, full of adventure, with wonderful surprises and gifts bestowed on us by our Father every day.

  Unfortunately, awakening is not something we can inherit along with genes passed on to us by our parents. Each of us has to do the work required for salvation, for without “plowing” into the depths of our soul there is no opportunity to discover what is hidden “under the surface of the soil.” Plow this field until you find the treasure!

  This story also symbolizes those who had the keys to knowledge (e.g., priests, scribes, or ministers who had acquired the magnificent treasure of mystical knowledge passed on from previous generations), yet did not bother to do the work necessary to unlock it. Thus, the priceless prize is passed on to others who will use it better than the original owners. All traditional religions will disappear when humanity finally awakens, and we will become the “royal priesthood” with direct access to God.

  110. Jesus said, “The one who has found the world and has become wealthy should renounce the world.”

  The path to awakening requires that we transcend the narrow roles we have been playing in our lives. A wealthy person needs to let go of his attachment to riches. He doesn’t have to give away all of his money, but he needs to gain freedom from being enslaved by the money. He has to see that making more money will not bring the safety or happiness he seeks. Indeed, he will feel more fulfilled and happy by giving away the excess money and material possessions to those who are starving and struggling to make ends meet. How can anyone enjoy wealth with a clear conscience when other people are living in poverty, dying of hunger and prevent
able diseases? See also Saying 81.

  111. (1) Jesus said, “The heavens and the earth will be rolled up in your presence. (2) And the one who lives from the Living One will not see death.” (3) Did not the Savior say: “Whoever has found himself, of him the world is not worthy?”

  It is possible for anyone to experience firsthand the illusory nature of reality. When that happens, we may see the world rolling away like wallpaper, revealing underlying stillness and silence—the Void. We may experience ourselves as a disembodied presence, utterly alone in an empty space filled with golden haze. For the unprepared it is a terrifying encounter with the innermost truth, the ultimate metaphysical terror. But it is also an unforgettable and deeply transformational experience, which induces one to live from the Living One and to strive to become Love incarnated. As we peel away the layers of ego, we get closer and closer to our true identity, eventually reclaiming it and thus winning the battle with death. When that happens, the world is not worthy of us. We have transcended it, becoming one with God.

  112. (1) Jesus said, “Woe to the flesh that depends on the soul; (2) woe to the soul that depends on the flesh.”

  Who are we? Are we the flesh or the soul, or perhaps more than both of these? Albert Einstein commented that “a human being is part of the whole called a universe, a part limited in time and space. We experience ourselves, our thoughts and feelings as something separate from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from the prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.” This transformation requires a profound change in the way we think of ourselves and includes realization that everything we see and experience is a part of ourselves. We are not our bodies—we are the whole universe. Thus, we are all perfectly safe, immortal, and on a path to discovering who we really are.

  From one vantage point our lives are God’s attempt to answer another essential question: “Who am I?” This question has an infinite number of answers. Theologies and philosophies try to provide approximate explanations to these impossible-to-answer questions, but none of the answers we propose are really “true”—they can only point in the direction of the Truth.

  Mystics realize that humans are much more than just bodies and minds associated with these bodies. Body and mind can be treated as one unit, comparable to the clothing worn by an actor. Each of us also has a soul, or a part of us that survives the body and goes on from incarnation to incarnation, providing continuity of experience and carrying with it any issues that have not been resolved in previous lifetimes. Finally, each of us at the deepest level contains the Spirit, which is the immortal God himself, a part that we all have in common. Our task is to discover that Spirit within ourselves, to experience it firsthand in its fullness, and then to re-orient our thinking and acting so that we identify with the Spirit instead of the body or the soul. The next step is to unite these three levels so that the Spirit becomes one with our soul and our mind/body. That step is often called Realization or Resurrection. Only achieving that last step guarantees salvation and the immortality of our current “self.”

  Once we identify with the Spirit, we simultaneously realize that there is nobody else to blame for our unhappiness or “bad things” that happen to us. There is only one person that exists—God—and that person is YOU. It is an illusion that there are separate individuals surrounding you in the world. And it is a wonderful illusion—if you are awake and connected to other people. It assures that you never have to feel lonely. In this dream if you are kind towards others, you will be treated kindly in turn. Since in reality there is nobody else out there besides you, you have to act first without waiting for “others” to reciprocate. You get only what you give. Thus, if you want to be happy and feel loved and fulfilled, do what makes other people happy. Be kind, patient, caring, considerate, tolerant, generous, and selfless. Serve others without expecting anything in return. This is the biggest secret of truly happy people.

  We all have to learn to be caring and kind towards everyone else, in every situation that we encounter. Depending on the “backlog” of our previous negative actions in this and other lives (“bad karma”), it may take months or years of work before we will see the fruits of our labor. But it is worth it, since it is the ONLY way out of hell. We have to be patient and persist on the path until all of our karmic debts are paid off. Only then will we awaken and regain our freedom. Jesus reminded us of this fact in his Sermon on the Mount: “I tell you the truth; you will not get out of prison until you have paid the very last penny” (Matthew 5: 26).

  Another interpretation of this saying may teach us something about the spiritual significance of our diet. According to some traditions (see The Essene Gospel of Peace), Jesus was either a vegetarian or mostly vegetarian (since he occasionally ate fish). Some traditions teach that Jesus spent his formative years (between ages 13 and 30) traveling in India and Tibet, and perhaps even becoming a Buddhist. Buddhists teach that it is inappropriate to kill animals for any reason, including for food. Several years ago I visited a slaughterhouse in Poland, and to this day I can remember the fear in the eyes of pigs waiting in their pens to be slaughtered and the tears in the eyes of a calf that was to be shot in the head with a steel bolt. These animals knew that they are going to be killed and clearly suffered because of that.

  Some argue that when animals suffer and die in fear, they release stress hormones that remain in their meat when we consume it. These hormones are then absorbed from our digestive system in an active form, and since many hormones are virtually identical in animals and humans, we experience their metabolic and emotional effects. Our bodies get sick and age faster when we are exposed to the emotional wear and tear caused by stress hormones absorbed from the meat in our diet. Our soul is also afflicted by the suffering that we are responsible for when we choose to eat meat, since these animals would have lived if nobody wanted to eat them. When we eat meat we are also indirectly responsible for the suffering of those who slaughter the animals—it is one of the most devastating and emotionally damaging jobs one can have.

  One can argue that it is highly unethical to kill for food the animal species that are on the brink of extinction. That is already the case with the most commercial fish species. However, it may be difficult for some people to switch to a vegetarian diet and remain healthy. Fortunately there are many resources available in the modern day, from books to skilled nutritionists who can help with a transition to a balanced vegetarian diet that includes animal products such as milk, cheese, and eggs. New developments in nutritional science, such as metabolic typing diet, allow us to custom design healthy diets for the majority of individuals. It may not be easy to eat well, but ultimately it is up to each of us to make conscious diet choices that are sound from both a nutritional and spiritual point of view.

  113. (1) His disciples said to him, “When will the Kingdom come?” (2) Jesus said, “It will not come by waiting for it. (3) It will not be a matter of saying ‘Here it is’ or ‘There it is.’ (4) Rather, the Kingdom of the Father is spread out upon the earth, and men do not see it.”

  The Kingdom of the Father is here and now, and it has been here all along, waiting for anyone who is ready to hear the message and awaken. It is a state of consciousness in which we see the world as a perfectly safe place and know that we are the beloved children of God. The “outside reality” surrounding us is none other than God himself, since He is everywhere and in everything. We walk inside God’s mind. When we awaken we realize that the inner is like the outer: We are one with God; we are simultaneously both the only child of God and God himself.

  The Kingdom of Heaven requires a different kind of vision—the ability to see everything and everyone as part of us. Once we see the world in that way it becomes much easier to be compassionate towards all living beings, to bec
ome vegetarian, to respect and protect the natural environment, and to be a servant of all, just like Jesus and other enlightened people in the past and present. When we are kind and caring towards others, we heal ourselves.

  114. (1) Simon Peter said to him, “Let Mary leave us, for women are not worthy of life.” (2) Jesus said, “I myself shall lead her in order to make her male, so that she too may become a living male spirit similar to you. (3) For every woman who will make herself male will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”

  Jesus treated women as equals—unlike the culture in which he grew up. It is possible that he learned this attitude from his Essene and Buddhist teachers. Women played an essential part in Jesus’ ministry, both as his disciples and supporters. After Jesus’ crucifixion they initially assumed equal positions of power in the church, becoming priests and bishops alongside men. However, some of Jesus’ disciples were not able to transcend their cultural conditioning and sexist prejudices, as exemplified by Peter in the above saying. This mindset colored the subsequent attitude of the church towards women for two millennia, resulting in ambivalence towards women at best, and often discrimination and persecution against them as well.

  Christian Gnostic communities treated women equally, scandalizing orthodox “fathers of the church” such as Bishop Irenaeus from Lyons (ca. 130–203 AD), who noted with disapproval that women were attracted to and held important positions in Gnostic churches. Irenaeus’ contemporary orthodox Christian writer Tertullian (ca. 155–245 AD) in his treatise entitled “On the Dress of Women,” calls women “the devil’s gateway” and “the unsealer of that forbidden tree,” and claims that it was because of Eve—and therefore because of all womankind—that “God’s image, man” was condemned to death, and that the Son of God himself had to come and die on the cross. He insisted that women should not teach, baptize, or take on the priestly ministry. His ideas were readily accepted by the Orthodox Church, stripping women of their initially equal position in the Christian society.