The tax collectors came to Peter and asked: "Does your teacher pay the Temple tax?" Peter answered, "Yes he does." And when he came home Jesus asked him what he thought. Then Jesus instructed him, saying: "So we do not give offense, go to the sea and cast a hook; take the first fish that comes up and when you open its mouth you will find a coin; take that and give it to them." (Matthew 17:24)

Some explain this story by saying there are certain kinds of fish, Musht, that are six inches long and they swim near the bottom of the sea and sometimes swallow coins; others explain that some fish swim with their babies in their mouths so when you catch one you are actually catching two, kind of like a Publix buy one get one so we can give that one to the food bank.

But Jesus asks Peter what he thinks, so here is a tipoff this story is about consciousness. We live and move and have our being in God and in God we walk in the world of matter. Yes, we know all things pass, yet in the meantime we walk amidst cultural systems, organizations, institutions, schools, hospitals, roads, law enforcement - but wait I'm wandering too far afield...

In Consciousness lies a sea of unlimited ideas (fish). If my intention is to be creative, perhaps a writer or a musician, then I must take up the discipline of focusing and giving my heartfelt attention on writing or practicing every day, bringing this image into physical reality.

To live in the yin and yang of life is to live balanced in giving and receiving. To be guided by God is to accept life as it is; even when it is uncomfortable or inconvenient, even when it is raining.

The process is to listen, hear, and be willing to move (give and receive). We always stand at the seacoast yet some get tangled in the nets (beliefs) called unfairness; wanting things to be different.

To live from God consciousness is to give of our time, talent and treasure to our spiritual center, to self-care, to family, friends, strangers, society, willingly. To accept the world as it is, is to SEE through appearances and notice where am I in this process of Life, which is giving and receiving? Am I enjoying all the cycles of God, the growth, the sun, the rain, the wind? Am I grateful for the roads, the parks, the beaches, or am I rationalizing, struggling, and dismissing its relevance to me.

So, we are at the sea, let us cast our hooks knowing all of life is a two for one illusion as we shift from thinking we must humanly survive and enter into the Christ consciousness of Oneness, where we spiritually thrive.

"Gone Fishing"
Rev Janice