The Living Christ

I was baptized and brought up as a Protestant Christian in the Anglican Church
I spent a year as a child practicing Catholicism as a student border in a convent
for the past 40 years I have also practiced  the spiritual exercises and disciplines of
Judaism
Animism
Shamanism,
Hinduism,
Islam
Zen Buddhism

Christian "purists"  believe that by worshiping
with full heart and mind
at the altars of all the major world religions
i have somehow betrayed my Christian birth right
engaged in heresy
and am lost to Christ

How can that be?
If a qualified plumber studies, architecture, electrical installation and  bricklaying
that holistic appreciation of the building trade
only improves and extends his expertise
it makes him a far more accomplished plumber

My engagement in world religions
has vastly improved my understanding of Christianity
and the amazing cultural legacy my birthright has brought to the world
not lessened it

It has allowed me to transcend the childish view of Jesus
that the church still teaches
about a god that took immaculate birth as a man
lived for 33 years
preached peace and love for neighbor
was persecuted and died on the cross
rose from the dead
went off to heaven
and will come back to earth again at some future date
to save only those who believe that is what Christianity is about

I have come to believe in a living Christ
an eternal Divine presence
resident in the heart of everyman
of every clime
no matter what name we give Him
a Christ that has always been present
right from the very beginning
who has never left
and never will
he lives inside of me
urging me to live the life he preached
to love my neighbor
as i love myself
every day of my life
not wait for some future coming
and life ever after in an exclusive heaven
while others suffer in hell

all of us are Christ-born
all of us are immaculate sons and daughters of God
all of us are destined to preach love
all of us have a cross to bear
all of us must be prepared to be crucified for our good intentions
all of us will  rise from the dead
all of us will join our Father in Heave