Mary the Mother of Jesus – Her Death

According to historians, Mary’s last days were spent in Ephesus, but no remains have ever been found. William LePar’s spiritual source, The Council, explains why. 

 Questioner:  Did Mary die a physical death?

 The Council: No, how could she?

 Questioner:  Well, I don't know.

 The Council:  A clarification on that.  She did die, but she also ascended. There are no physical remains.  You see, what you must take into consideration with the Blessed Mother is that she was born without sin.  The Bible states that she was born without original sin, which means she did not succumb to the temptations of the adversaries, so that she had no purpose or she had no, shall we say, commitment to enter the physical.  She had no need to enter the physical other than that of service to her Father, to God.  Although she is considered the Mother of God and the Queen of Heaven, you have to consider a dual role for the Mother of God and, that is, she is also a son of the Godhead, yet a Mother to the Godhead.  It becomes extremely involved.  One may attempt to explain the situation this way.  There is more to come as far as your understanding of heaven goes and all that lies within.  It is recognized now that you have God the Father and God the Son.  Very well.  God the Father in His own Being is androgynous, but just as you have God the Father, you must also have a God the Mother, which Mary fulfills then.  So although both are androgynous, one is subservient to the other, in that the feminine, that one recognized as Mary would be subservient to God the Father. It becomes extremely involved and complicated.  The Queen of Heaven is not equal to the Father of Heaven.  

Editor's note: Some of us have visited the site where her home was supposed to be. The story that we were told was that she was buried in a cave a short distance from her house but when people visited the cave later, there was no body, only lilies around the place where she was laid.

For more on William LePar and The Council visit WilliamLePar.com

The Virgin Mary

 With the Lenten Season upon us, we thought that this would be a good time to present this dialogue to you. As the questioner mentions, many of us wondered why Mary had to remain a virgin. Here, the Council, William LePar’s tells us.

 Questioner:  I would like to ask a question, and I am sure that there are others who would ask the same question because we have so little knowledge of Mary.  Why was it necessary that she remain a virgin after the birth of Jesus?

The Council:  That can be quite an involved answer.  To put it as simply as is possible, there is a certain dignity brought to the material through the birth of Jesus Christ.  In other words, as God takes a humanly form, then this gives a dignity to humanity, to human life, that had not been there before.  Mary, the Mother of Heaven, the Pearl of God, is not, shall we say, an entity or a soul such as us or you; in other words, she did not fall from the Graces of the Divine; she did not accept the challenge as we have and as you have.  Do you understand?

Questioner:  Yes, I do.

 The Council:  Consequently, then her making entrance into the material was a total giving up of herself for the Divine Will of God.  Shall we say, an unnecessary acceptance of a crudeness or a density.  Even in this, because of her godliness and her love for her Maker, she would bring a glorification to that physical body that made it such that to produce flesh from that body would not be possible.  It becomes a very involved situation in explaining the purpose of creation.  One must also take into account the fact that reproduction as man now knows it, co-creating with God as man now knows it, was never intended to be such, but a soul or an entity or a being can create within themselves when in perfect balance, and in the birth of Jesus Christ through Mary, then that soul took the feminine aspect while the Divine Spirit took the male aspect and created then a physical body for the Lord Jesus Christ.  Now, the soul or the being that created the physical body of Mary was and is perfected.  There was no need for that soul to enter a physical manifestation and since that soul could create in cooperation with Divine Spirit, the Divine, the Godhead, then it could not be contaminated by the physical creation or cycle of creation.  Do you understand that?

 Questioner:  Yes.

The Council:  Now this is not to degrade a husband and wife creating or procreating.  This is an honor and a privilege that has been given to you.  This is your way of manifesting and creating like gods, but it is, shall we say, a very small degree of creation, where the soul Mary did not deserve the physical body because of her perfection and did not need a physical body and did not need another soul to create with in order to make a combined action.  Do you understand this?

This is all tied in with the masculine and feminine aspects and the creations as we have talked before.  So you have a perfected soul then co-creating as you do but instead of with a, shall we say, imperfect soul, Mary co-created with The Perfected Soul or The Perfected Being and that is God.  In so doing then she could not touch physical creation.  Now to answer why she could not touch physical creation can become extremely involved and would end up in more confusion.

Prayers are Energy

 Prayers are Energy

 This is a beautiful thought from William LePar’s spiritual source, The Council.

 Questioner:  Prayers are energies, then?

 The Council:  That should be no surprise.  Everything is energy; everything

is energy.

 Questioner:  And prayers would be so filled with love energy?

 The Council:  Yes.  Very positive, very positive thing, prayer.

 Questioner:  I don't understand how that would work, how that could be such an aid, help?

 The Council:  Well, if you could understand what the existence is at this level, then it would not be hard at all, but just think of it as a ball of total love, positive, of God, of all the beautiful things, all the holy things; and as that ball hovers over you, you have the option to accept it and put it into your heart, and it helps you shine out.  It enters your body or your system or your soul or your spirit and radiates outward.  It acts as an amplifier when your, shall we say, batteries are down a little.  It brings new life, new hope, into you, new strength. It clears out the old fog and allows the Divine to speak with you; but since it is a part of your soul, since it is a part of God, you must remember that when you reach a level of being able to pray for others out of love, God is talking to you and He is using you as an instrument, He is flowing His energies through you into that prayer; and you are directing it to a specific person or a specific thing; and if those things or persons do not wish to accept it, then it goes to someone else who is needy; and it will go until it is accepted.  None of God's efforts are in vain.

For more from William LePar and The Council visit williamlepar.com

Spirit of a Baby at Time of Conception

 In the answer to the question below, William LePar’s spiritual source, The Council gives us some reasons why the entity might not be present at the time of conception.

 Questioner:  You said earlier that it is entirely possible that the soul or spirit may be with the entity from the time of conception on.  Why would a spirit not be with it from the time of conception?  Or why would it come into the physical organism at a later date than conception?

 The Council:  There are a number of reasons why.  One reason is or could be depending on the situation, the entity that is, shall we say, overlooking the situation may not be sure that the lessons necessary for its growth will be there in that situation.  The mother and father may not have, shall we say, set firm conditions that that baby will eventually grow into or develop under, so you see there is the factor of free will there that must be considered in all three individuals, the father, the mother, and the prospective child.  In many cases and possibly we should add here in most cases, the conditions are set; the parents on a spiritual level have already firmed or committed themselves to those conditions necessary for that particular entity's growth.  In that case then the soul or spirit would immediately enter on the moment of conception.  Now, another factor you can take into consideration as a possibility in that is this: that a soul may occupy that embryo or that fetus for some time and then may decide for one reason or another to, shall we say, switch horses in mid-stream.  In that case then, there would be the opening for another entity to take that position over.

For more on William LePar and The Council visit williamlepar.com

Nursing Babies Part 2

 Nursing Babies Part 2 

 This is a continuation of The Council’s explanation of breastfeeding.

 Questioner:  How far along into the baby's life is this recommended?

 The Council:  That would vary with the child itself, but one should not wean a baby away too early.  Also, you have to consider that as the mother breastfeeds the child she may, if we may use this term, run dry after a period of time; that is the natural cut-off point.  It would not harm to feed the child, to breastfeed the child into the second or even third year, if there is a need for it.  And that can be determined by the baby or the child's actions.  Now it is necessary to introduce the child or the baby to outside foods, and as a mother progresses in this development, then she should keep a close eye as to whether the child craves the breastfeeding or not.  If she senses or sees that there is a need, whether it is physically or emotionally, then she should continue to do so according to that need.

 The thing one should keep in mind, and that is this: that from the moment of conception the soul could be there or the spirit could be there, and as long as the spirit is there or the soul is there, it is quite aware of its circumstances whether it be in the womb or out of the womb, and is quite conscious of all the affection or lack of affection, whether it be affection in touching or verbally, and as that soul's needs come into play, that affection, whether it be the touching or the verbal affection, must be fulfilled. In, shall we say, recent years there has been a decline in the breastfeeding, and of course you can look at that generation and see what has become of it. Now, of course, this is only one factor in the total picture, but that is something to consider, and it is something that each individual mother can handle and affect.

Nursing Babies - Part 1

 Nursing Babies  - Part 1

 In this segment William LePar’s spiritual source, The Council, talks about the advantages of breastfeeding babies.

 Questioner:  If mothers were to nurse their babies, those who are able to ...

 The Council:  Much better than bottles.  Why should a mother deprive herself of such a beautiful act, such a glorious privilege and honor?

 Questioner:  It is.  I was wondering if that could possibly help prevent the hyperkinetic situation?

 The Council:  There are natural, shall we say, stabilizers in the mother's milk that are quite beneficial to a child, to a baby. Now you notice we use the word "stabilizers" as opposed to other words that we could use.

 Questioner:  The only other word that I can think of is .  .  .

The Council:  There are certain antibiotics that are beneficial at different times in the baby's life, and we use the term "antibiotics" in a natural sense.

Questioner:  Do you understand what they mean by "natural sense"?

Questioner:  By natural, just elements or substances that would help to control harmful bacteria or harmful reactions as opposed to a synthesized or cultivated product?

The Council:  Yes.  If one would leave things to the workings of God, you would find that everything would be much more healthier, much smoother, less problems.  The natural thing would be for a mother to breastfeed a child.  Now, there is a reason for that, because the mother's body manufactures through its natural processes things that the baby needs for protection; that is only one aspect of it all.  The closeness and the warmth that the baby feels while nursing is extremely important to the proper development, both emotionally and spiritually for that child, and to deprive the child and the mother of such an expression is wrong.  Now, there are some rare cases where breastfeeding may not be possible; then, of course, that gets into other areas, but we are speaking to the normal circumstances where breastfeeding is possible.

 

Book of John Chapter two 1-11 - Wedding Feast at Cana

For six years in the late 1970s-80s, William LePar offered a Bible Study on the Book of John. This was a detailed study, verse by verse. Once transcribed this study filled seven volumes. They are now all available for purchase. We thought that an example of the depth of study was appropriate. Verses 1-11 of chapter two were selected.

NIV (New International Version) – On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” “Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.

 Here are some clues as to the meanings of the miracle at Cana. Jewish legalism is represented by the water of ritual purification; it then becomes the Gospel, the wine which gladdens the Marriage Feast of the Kingdom of God. Judaism is represented by the water. Christianity is represented by the wine. It is Christ that makes the difference between water and wine. Therefore, the choice – living the strict laws created by the Jewish system which Christ opposed or living the law of love as Christ demonstrated. The lesson that we must learn then is not only to be transformed by Christ’s power, but in the context of joyous human fellowship. We must reject the spirit of gloomy religiosity that was prevalent at that time and is carried forward today by some.

 Now some historical facts about Jewish weddings at that time: A wedding was a very notable occasion. One of the Jewish laws was that a wedding of a virgin should take place on a Wednesday. The wedding festivities lasted more than just one day. The actual wedding ceremony took place in the evening after the main feast. The couple did not go away for a honeymoon. They stayed at home and kept an open house for about a week. At a Jewish feast, wine was essential. The saying of the Rabbi at that time was, “Without wine there is no joy.” The people were not drunkards. Drunkenness was a great disgrace. Hospitality in the East was a sacred duty. So, for the food and drink to fail at a wedding feast would be a terrible humiliation for the bride and groom.

 For Mary to approach Jesus about the problem of the lack of wine would indicate that Mary held a certain position as far as the wedding was concerned. This indicates that possibly one of the two in the wedding was a member of her family. Whether it was an immediate member or secondary, the event would still be important to her.

 The Authorized Version of King James makes Jesus’ reply sound very discourteous or very abrupt. That was not the case. Those are the correct words, but do not give the true meaning. “What have I to do with thee?” was a common conversational phrase. It did not indicate disagreement or reproach, but means the indication of misunderstanding. The meaning of the phrase could mean: “Don’t worry,” “You don’t quite understand what is going on,” “Leave things to me” or “I will settle them in my own way.” We see Jesus then as telling His mother to leave the situation to Him, and He will deal with it in His own way.

 The word “woman” (the Greek word “gunai”) is also misleading. It sounds rough and abrupt, but this is the same word used when Jesus, on the cross, addressed John concerning His Mother, Mary, as He left her in the care of John. Christ gave His mother into John’s care and universally, to all of us. “Woman” is a title of respect. There is no word in the English language that gives us an exact rendering, but it is possibly better translated as “lady,” which gives us at least the courtesy indicated by it. Mary had confidence in Jesus. She told the servants to do as He said.

The word “firkin” has been translated in the Authorized Version as stone jars. A “firkin” represents the Hebrew measure called “bath” which represents a large jug of about a 20-gallon capacity. It also represented the purification ceremony. The purification ceremony had two purposes: First, it was required to wash the feet whenever entering the house. On dry days the feet were dusty and on wet days the feet were muddy.

 Second, it was required to wash the hands. Strict Jews washed their hands before the meal and between each course. First the hands were held upright and the water was poured over them in such a way that it ran right down to the wrists. Then the hands were pointed down and the water was poured in such a way that it ran from the wrist to the fingertips and this was done with each hand. Then each palm was cleansed by rubbing it with the fist of the other hand. If this was not done, technically the hands were unclean.

 John definitely states that the jugs were filled to the brim. He makes this point clear to show that there was nothing else in there but the water.

We now note three general things about the miracle that Jesus performed. We note when it happened – at a wedding feast. Jesus was no severe austere killjoy. He enjoyed sharing in the happiness and rejoicing of a wedding feast. Some religious people like to shed gloom wherever they go. They are suspicious of any joy and happiness. To them, religion is a thing of black clothes and lowered voices and the expulsion of all social fellowship. These people would be better as undertakers and bury the dead for they will not succeed in influencing the living. It is better to commend cheerfulness to all who wish to win souls, not levity or frothfulness, but geniality and happy spirit. There are more flies caught with honey than vinegar, and there will be more souls led to Heaven by a man who wears Heaven in his face than one who bears grimness in his look. Jesus never counted it a crime to be happy, so why should His followers?

We note where it happened. It happened in a modest home in a village in Galilee. This miracle was not performed against the background of a great occasion or vast crowds. Looking briefly at the Gospel of Luke, we see the author delights in showing Jesus against the background of very simple things, homey things and people such as oxen and servants. Luke domesticates God. Luke brings God right into the home circle and into the ordinary things of life. With the miracle at Cana, this shows us what Christ thought of the home. His first public miracle was in the sanctity of the home. As the RSV (Revised Standard Version) states it, “He manifested forth His glory.” We can understand from this, that to Christ the home was a place for which nothing but the best was good enough.

 We note why it happened. In the East, hospitality was a sacred duty. If the wine at the marriage feast had run out, it would have been a great embarrassment and shame on the home. So it was to save this humble Galilean family from hurt and embarrassment. It was in sympathy, in kindness, in understanding for the simple people that Jesus acted. There is a kind of natural human malice that enjoys seeing the misfortunes of others. The Lord of Life, the King of Joy, used His power to save the bride and bridegroom from humiliation. It is by such deeds of understanding and simple kindness that we can also show that we are followers of Jesus Christ.

There are two other things the story tells us about Mary’s faith in Christ. First, Mary instinctively turned to Jesus because she knew her son, and she knew that He would not let her down. Second, she believed in Him and she immediately turned to the serving people and told them to do whatever they were instructed by Jesus to do. She did not know what to expect, but she had faith that He would do the right thing. In every life there comes a period of darkness when we, too, do not know what to expect. By placing our faith in Jesus Christ, all things are fulfilled.

 Also, the story tells us something about Jesus. “My hour has not yet come.” All through His life Jesus knew He came into the world for a definite purpose and a definite task. He saw His life, not in terms of His wishes, but in terms of God’s purpose for Him. He saw His life not against the shifting background of time, but against the steady background of eternity. He steadily went towards that hour for which He knew He had come into the world. It is not only Jesus Who came into this world to fulfill the purpose of God. Every man is a dream and an idea of God, so we too, must think not of our own wishes and our own desires, but of the purpose for which God sent us into this world.

 Now for the deeper, more permanent truth that John is telling us with this story. We must remember that John was writing with a double background. He was a Jew and he was writing the story of Jesus for the Greeks and the rest of mankind to come. We must remember that beneath John’s simple stories there is always a deeper meaning, which is opened only to those who have eyes to see. John never wrote an unnecessary word or insignificant word. Everything means something and everything points beyond.

 There were six water pots. The water in them turned to wine. According to the Jews, seven is the number which is complete and perfect. Six is the number which is unfinished or imperfect. The six stone (stone=dead) water pots stand for the imperfection of the Jewish Law. Jesus came to do away with the imperfection of the Law and to put in its place the Wine of the New Gospel of Grace (God’s gift that we don’t deserve) or the New Covenant that man has with his God. Jesus turned the imperfection of the Law into the perfection of Grace. There were six water pots, each held between 20 and 30 gallons of water. Jesus turned water into wine that would give up to 180 gallons. Simply to state that fact is to show that John did not mean the story to be taken with crude literalness.

 What John is saying is that when the Grace of Christ comes to men, there is enough to spare for all. It would be unlikely that a wedding party would drink 180 gallons of wine. No need on earth can exhaust the Grace of Christ. There is a glorious superabundance of it. What John was telling us is that in Christ, imperfections become perfection. Grace is without limit, sufficient, and more than sufficient, for every need. We see that John is teaching us that Jesus does not do a thing once and never again, but of something which He is doing always and forever. The Christ Consciousness is there forever to feed us. Jesus did not do something once in Palestine, but continues doing it today. Whenever Jesus comes into a man’s life, there comes a new quality which is like turning water into wine. Without Jesus life is dull, stale and flat, but when Jesus comes into our life, it becomes a vivid, sparkling and exciting life, the joy of a wedding feast.