Course VII - Teaching 15: Real Priesthood

An invariable and unavoidable question arises about the motive of renunciation when, even with unusual ecstatic fullness, certain people experience pleasures of the material world, which are as much sensual as intellectual.
It is almost humanly impossible to answer this question because one should place himself on such a transcendent position beyond any ordinary human possibility.
But its answer is absolutely, fundamentally valuable, and a yearning that Humanity can never discard.
A man should not deceive himself intimately because over and above his own efforts and view, he depends upon something else that is inaccessible to him, beyond his normal possibilities –he depends upon “It” that neither his senses nor his mind can grasp.
But there are heroic, nonconformist natures that neither lose heart nor abandon their intimate yearning.
When their senses and mind fail, they try a new different way, unlike the way of the human mass, and as they do, they go away from this ordinary road and dispose of it as useless.
This step is named step of renunciation –even one could call it falsely a way of renunciation– because a person who takes this step becomes a conqueror of the Universe. Through ascetic Renunciation and mystique of the heart it leads to the Eternity and gradually connects the individual being with transcendental cosmic aspects and forces.
Although this exceptional way is wonderful, the individual being that lacks egoentia generally runs the risk of being detached and separate from the world and from Humanity and must survive inexorably on this environment.
The transmission power of the Great Current grants the Real Priesthood to the Son when the latter is fit to take his vows as a perpetual holocaust.
The individual liberation is sterile if it does not yield fruit, which can be achieved only through participation in the Great Work.
Through this participation, the liberated soul or on the point of being liberated remains united with the rest of Humanity.
And this mystical connection is made through vows.
The individual being assumes a responsibility through vows and acquires an intimate hierarchy that is essence of the Priesthood.
He assumes a responsibility since the fulfillment of vows depends entirely upon the Son that has taken them.
He acquires priestly hierarchy because as soon as he takes his vows remains tied to the divine will in a permanent and indestructible way, and he cannot undo spiritually this tie.
Any sincere yearning of spiritual liberation must include and really includes inexorably a desire of priesthood, –crown and privilege of those who become channel of God.
Men can hear the Eternal Voice through the above mentioned beings.
Their acts are magical because they translate the transcendence and are sacramental because reflect the divine light.
A blessing connects beings to Divinity, and their performance is a true cosmic act.
They are connected to the powers of the Universe by fulfilling strictly his vows and acquire power to heal the sick and to relieve the needy.
So, finally, as the highest possibility of the real priesthood, the Son answers individually the fundamental question of the soul by bringing consolation and joy of the divine word to beings.
So, a liberated soul ends its cycle of human living upon the earth through a real priesthood.