T. 17. III. 3 – 6. Jesus: “Every step taken in the making, the maintaining and the breaking off of the unholy relationship is a move toward further fragmentation and unreality. As the relationship continues, the shadow figures from the past enter more and more, so that the one in whom they seem to be perceived is much diminished in your own evaluation.
Time is indeed unkind to the unholy relationship! For time is cruel in the ego’s hands, just as it is kind when used by the Holy Spirit’s gentleness. The attraction of the unholy relationship then begins to fade and to be questioned almost at once. Once it is formed, doubt must enter in, because the relationship’s purpose is impossible.
The ‘ideal’ unholy relationship thus becomes one in which the reality of the other does not enter at all to ‘spoil’ the dream! So the less the other really brings to the relationship, the ‘better’ it becomes for the ego. Thus, this supposed attempt at union becomes a way of excluding even the one with whom the union was sought! For it was formed to get his reality out of it, and join with fantasies in ‘uninterrupted bliss.’
How can the Holy Spirit bring His interpretation of the body as a means of communication into relationships whose only purpose is separation from reality? What forgiveness is enables Him to do so.
If all but loving thoughts have been forgotten, what remains is eternal. And the transformed past is then made like the present instant. No longer does the past conflict with now!
This continuity extends the present by increasing its reality and its value in your perception of it. In these loving thoughts is the spark of beauty which was hidden in the ugliness of the unholy relationship where naught but ‘hatred’ is remembered. Yet it is there to come alive as the relationship is given to Him Who gives it life and beauty. That is why the Atonement process centers on the past in your mind, which is the remaining source of separation, and where in your mind that it must be undone. For separation must be corrected where it was made!
The ego seeks to resolve its problems, not at their source, but ‘outside,’ where they were not made. Thus it seeks to guarantee there will be no solution! The Holy Spirit wants only to make His resolutions complete and perfect, and so He seeks and finds the source of problems where that source is, and there undoes it. And with each step in His undoing, is the separation more and more undone, and union brought ever closer.
The Holy Spirit is not at all confused by any seeming ‘reasons’ you may have for separation. All He perceives in separation is that it must be undone. Let Him uncover the hidden spark of beauty in each of your relationships, and show it to you! Its loveliness will so attract you that you will be unwilling ever to lose the sight of it again.”