Christ Michael

In order to research this topic properly, I started where I thought this all began - the Bible. The New Testament book of Matthew (which recounts the story of Jesus’ life) was at the top of the list. It had been years since I had read the book of Matthew, but I imagined as I read it, it would all come back to me. Of course it did, but there was something different this time. This time, I felt it. I was glued to that text from start to finish, hanging on every familiar word. Knowing how the story ended, but finding myself praying for a different outcome. By the end, I was crying. What was wrong with me? How could I have spent so much of my life knowing this story of Jesus, and here, after all these years, feeling it for the first time? Yes, I had cried about Jesus before. His story is so sad, so full of love. How could someone not connect to the emotion of it? But this was a totally different experience. This time I cried soul tears.

I was never hard-hearted. I always had compassion and was always very sensitive to the suffering of others. Excessively so in fact, in that I tried to fix everything for everyone, wanting everybody to be happy and emotionally safe at all times. I always accepted the context of Jesus’ sacrifice as it was explained to me, and believed that I was adequately grateful for it. Wrong. What I realized was that, even then, thinking I was a follower of Jesus and a believer in God, I was totally blind. Standing in darkness and completely unaware of it. Praying for others when I should have been praying for myself. Lord deliver me from my illusion.

I mentioned soul tears. What exactly does that mean? Actually, it doesn’t really mean anything. I made it up. I find myself doing that a lot these days. I have become so unsatisfied with vocabulary. I am frustrated by it because so much of what I am experiencing lately cannot be translated. I have discovered things that there is not language for. There are words but they have a different meaning. Here’s an example: “love”. I thought I knew what “love” meant. To love. I thought I knew its capacities… its variances… its degrees… its flavours: the love of a partner, a friend, a mother, a soul-mate. Wrong again. Does that mean I never loved? No…I did! I loved passionately! Deeply! … ever wearing my heart on my sleeve, giving it over completely and recklessly to those whom I committed myself. I didn’t know anything. But how could I?  I was a child to Love's teachings.

…And then there was Michael. A moment in time that would change me forever. He was my Awakening. When His Light shone, it wasn’t He who was illuminated - it was everything else. He showed me all things. ALL THINGS. He showed me beauty. A beauty so intense that the eye can barely stand to look upon it. A beauty that destroys me and heals me at once. He showed me Love. A Love so huge that it bears down on my soul and leaves me paralysed. A Love that knows no limit - not even death. He showed me forgiveness. A forgiveness with a depth that carries no memory. One that absolves and refuses to surrender to desperation. He showed me sacrifice. Sacrifice without expectation. Sacrifice that does not recognize guilt or shame. A sacrifice - given only once - but that sustains all people for all time. And then He showed me God. A Power that reaches far beyond any interpretation that man has assigned to It. A Divineness which is merciless in It's Love for me. A God that I fall to, but Who lifts me up. One that encompasses all things at all times, yet is incomplete without me.

So these are the things that leave me scrambling for words. They are things that cannot be explained or defined. We are limited in language, and these gifts know no bounds. So my language evolves. I evolve.

Getting back to soul tears. These tears are ancient. They encompass more than sadness, they encompass all emotion all at once. Soul tears are the release of every sadness, every joy, every loss, every victory, every frustration, every resolution, every pain, every ecstasy, every loneliness, every union, every tear ever shed for every occasion throughout time. They are the emotional collectiveness of all life. The expression of emotional Oneness. You know them when they come. They reach far beyond yourself and surprise you. They take you over.

I cried these tears for the first time on November 2, 2009, after watching the movie "Michael Jackson's This Is It." Since then, I have been trying to make sense of them. Why on earth did Michael Jackson affect me so profoundly? Why did I feel such immense longing and such deep mourning for a man who was never physically in my life? I could still listen to His music and watch His short films, and what would be the difference? What was it that I had lost???

First on my list: my mind! I had lost my mind. What other possible explanation could there be? It frightened me. What was going to happen to me? In my desperation, I started to research Michael, looking for anything and everything I could find about Him. But while I was doing this, I discovered something very unexpected. I was not alone. There were others like me. Thousands more, in fact, all crying soul tears for Michael, and none of them really understanding why. Ok so I am not crazy. Either that or thousands of people worldwide were also crazy, and it happened to us all at the same exact moment! So we can strike the likelihood of that off the list. What else? Well, this must be temporary. He was a fixture in the life of so many for so long. We grew up with Michael. His music was the soundtrack to our childhoods. His songs were land markers for major events in our lives. Letting Michael go was like letting go of a part of our past… something entwined in our memories. That was definitely something to mourn. But time passed, and the wounds did not heal. Michael’s loss became more and more evident. My need for Him grew, and not only was I mourning Him, but now I had begun to miss Him. Miss someone I had never known. I felt a huge absence in my life that just kept increasing. It made me fixate on Him, and the rest of my life suffered. I just desperately wanted to fill this gaping void, and there was only One who could.

So began my journey to discovering who Michael really was, my relationship with Him, and what came next.

What is a messiah? Messiah literally means “anointed one” and was originally a term used for kings, priests, and prophets. The Christian interpretation of ‘messiah’ is a spiritual saviour sent by God. It is the Christian messiah’s role to preach the word of God, which is Love. He is the sacrificial Lamb. He gives Himself completely to humanity, and eventually suffers brutally at the hands of others, ultimately resulting in His death. It is this sacrifice that redeems the human spirit and delivers us back to God.

Because Michael was an entertainer, it is difficult for some to see Him as a teacher or prophet, but that is in fact, exactly what Michael was. When you begin to look deeper into Michael’s work, it becomes very evident that He had a message… a very important one.

It is known that when Jesus taught, He often spoke in parables. This, too, is true with Michael. The lyrics to Michael’s songs are stories with much deeper meaning.

Let’s look at “You Are Not Alone”. At first glance, it seems as though this is a story of a man deeply in love with a woman, from whom he has been separated. But if you look at the words again, and consider them the words of a Messiah, the beauty of the song becomes magnified, and makes much more sense.

“Just the other night,

I thought I heard you cry

Asking Me to come

and hold you in My arms.

I can hear your prayers,

your burdens I will bear

But first I need your hand,

then forever can begin.”

This last line is one of huge importance. This is one of the fundamental requirements of every single faith - we must surrender. We must give ourselves over to God. Give your heart. Because He will not take you. We must go willingly. Once we take that first step, then forever (eternity) with Him begins. Do you think something of this depth – something with this kind of meaning and profoundness could be coincidental? Accidental? Let’s look further.

“A rhythm nation, fulfill the truth.

The final message we bring to you.

There is no danger.

Fulfill the Truth.

So come together, we’re meaning you.

We’re sending out a major Love

And this is our message to you

The planets are lining up.

They’re bringing brighter days.

They’re all in line waiting for you.

Can’t you see you’re just another part of Me?” Michael talked a lot about Oneness, that we are all one unit. We are all a part of God. He talked about God living within us, and that we are all connected.

He also talked about His “Army of Love”. It's interesting to think about who the “rhythm nation” could be, carrying the final message of Truth.

This next one was pivotal for me.

The lyrics to “This Is It”

“This is it.

Here I stand.

I’m the Light of the world.

I feel grand.

Got this Love

I can feel

And I know, yes for sure

This is real.

And I feel as though I’ve known you

for a thousand years.

And you tell me that you’ve seen

my face before.”

I thought about this a lot. The obvious line being “I’m the Light of the world”. Jesus made this exact same statement in John 8:12. This, along with the last two lines that suggest that Michael has been here before, really had me reeling. The bible tells us that the Christ is destined to return to earth: “Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation, without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him” Hebrews 9:28“

I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself” John 14:2-3

“Behold, I am coming soon…” Revelations 22:12

So could this be the return? If Michael and Jesus are each a contribution to the same Christ story, then how can they threaten one another? The story of Michael does not blaspheme the story of Jesus. What it does, in fact, is complete the prophecy. The more I thought about this, the more it made sense to me. There really was just WAY too much similarity in the lives of Jesus and Michael to be mere coincidence. Here are some obvious comparisons…

Jesus was born to humble beginnings - Michael was born to humble beginnings Jesus’ father was named Joseph - Michael’s father was named Joseph Jesus was revered as a child - Michael was revered as a child Jesus’ message was “Love” - Michael’s message was “Love” Jesus talked about restoring ‘God’s kingdom’ - Michael talked about healing the world Jesus and Michael were both, first and foremost, humanitarians Both were extremely humble Jesus was a teacher and healer - Michael was a teacher and healer Jesus had many followers - Michael had many followers Jesus and Michael were both mocked and ridiculed (along with their followers) Jesus loved and revered children and called us to be like them – Michael loved and revered children and called us to be like them Jesus spoke the word of God - Michael spoke the word of God Jesus was called “King” - Michael was called “King” Jesus and Michael were both betrayed by someone close to them Both endured a fall from grace in the eyes of public opinion Both Jesus and Michael were betrayed for money Jesus was persecuted - Michael was persecuted Jesus and Michael both faced trial (at which, they both remained silent) Both trials were based on false charges. Both Jesus and Michael were found not guilty of any crime Both were crucified anyway Jesus and Michael both prophesised their own deaths Jesus’ impact was magnified after death - Michael’s impact was magnified after death.

That is an astounding amount of similarities. Too many for me to write off as coincidence. I really feel that a person who sees this comparison and doesn’t find it worthy of a closer look must be afraid of something. Sometimes the search for truth is a frightening thing. Often people choose avoidance over wisdom in order to remain comfortable. God asks us to seek truth in all things. That cannot happen if we hide from things that shake us up. It is our responsibility to search for truth, and allow it to heal us. God has nothing to hide. We must challenge ourselves to learn. We must follow with open hearts and open minds. This is the true nature of a trusting relationship with God.

Besides carrying the message of Love and Unity, some of Michael’s songs seem to be telling us something else. Something about Michael Himself. For example, here are some of the lyrics to HIStory”:

“He says one day you will see

His place in world HIStory

He dares to be recognized

The fire’s deep in His eyes

How many victims must there be

Slaughtered in vain across the land?

And how many struggles must there be

Before we choose to live the Prophet’s plan

Everybody sing…

All nations sing

Let’s harmonize all around the world”

Have you thought about who it is who dares to be recognized… and why?

The lyrics to “Cry”…

“Stories buried and untold

Someone is hiding the Truth, hold on

When will this mystery unfold

And will the sun (Son) ever shine

In the blind man’s eyes when he cries?

You can change the world (I can’t do it by Myself)

You can touch the sky (Gonna take somebody’s help)

You’re the chosen one (I’m gonna need some kind of sign)”

The lyrics to “Best Of Joy”

“I am your Joy, your best of Joy

I am the moonlight, you are the spring

Our Love's a sacred thing

You know I always will love you

I am forever

I am the One who came when you fell down

I was the only One around

When things were hurting you

I am forever

Wasn’t it I who said that you are free

When it seemed so hard to be

And things were hurting you?

I am forever”

Here is another lyrical comparison that I would like to make that I recently discovered while doing research for this musing. Michael’s song “Will You Be There” is one that moves me very deeply. Not only the words, but the rhythm and melody also. There is something in it that stirs me to the core. My soul interprets the language of it – one that my conscious mind doesn’t fully understand – and it heals me somewhere, somehow, on some level. It is Holy. Here is a portion of the lyrics:

“Hold Me

Lay your head lowly

Softly then boldly

Carry Me there

Lead Me

Love Me and feed Me

Kiss Me and free Me

I will feel blessed

Carry, Carry Me boldly

Lift Me up slowly

Carry Me there

Save Me

Heal Me and bathe me

Softly you say to Me

I will be there…”

Then I discovered this: “For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink. I was a stranger and you invited Me in. I needed clothes and you clothed Me. I was sick and you came to visit Me. I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.” Matthew 25:35-40 I find the similarity between these two examples to be remarkable. (By the way, the first line in the song “Will You Be There?” is: “Hold Me, like the River Jordan." Of course we know this to be the place where Jesus’ baptism took place).

Besides the lyrics to Michael’s songs, I also researched His poetry. I have to include this poem in its entirety because I really feel every line has meaning and message to it:

“Are You Listening?”

Are You Listening?

Who am I?

Who are you?

Where did we come from?

Where are we going?

What's it all about?

Do you have the answers?

Immortality's My game

From Bliss I came

In Bliss I am sustained

To Bliss I return

If you don't know it now

It's a shame

Are you listening?

This body of Mine

Is a flux of energy

In the river of time

Eons pass, ages come and go

I appear and disappear

Playing hide-and-seek

In the twinkling of an eye

I am the particle

I am the wave

Whirling at lightning speed

I am the fluctuation

That takes the lead

I am the Prince

I am the Knave

I am the doing

That is the deed

I am the galaxy, the void of space

In the Milky Way

I am the craze

I am the thinker, the thinking, the thought

I am the seeker, the seeking, the sought

I am the dewdrop, the sunshine, the storm

I am the phenomenon, the field, the form

I am the desert, the ocean, the sky

I am the Primeval Self

In you and I

Pure unbounded consciousness

Truth, existence, Bliss am I

In infinite expressions I come and go

Playing hide-and-seek

In the twinkling of an eye

But immortality's My game

Eons pass

Deep inside

I remain

Ever the same

From Bliss I came

In Bliss I am sustained

Join Me in My dance

Please join Me now

If you forget yourself

You'll never know how

This game is played

In the ocean bed of Eternity

Stop this agony of wishing

Play it out

Don't think, don't hesitate

Curving back within yourself

Just create...just create

Immortality's My game

From Bliss I came

In Bliss I am sustained

To Bliss I return

If you don't know it now

It's a shame

Are you listening?

(from Dancing the Dream, by Michael Jackson)

First of all, this poem is breathtakingly beautiful. It is one of those things that touches my soul and alters me. The words have an ancientness and a wisdom to them like nothing I have ever known. They are gospel, and they read like a confession: I’ve been here before – I will be here again – I am immortal - I am Light - I am in all things – I am from God – I return to God – Pay attention.

There are so many examples in Michael’s work that whisper of who He is. I have given just a few examples here – but there are many, many more. When I first started to explore Michael as a Divine presence, I went on a ‘pilgrimage’ of sorts, in which I studied Michael’s lyrics, poetry, short-films, and commissioned artwork – as well as some of His public speeches and interviews. There is so much crucial information to be found, far too much to include here. But with research one uncovers an endless inheritance of symbolism, truths and beautiful revelations just waiting to be discovered. It is an enormous injustice to His genius and Divine nature not to explore them. They are His gifts to us. They are the work and the word of God.

Along this journey of discovery, we begin to realize that Michael was so much more than a Giver of Music. One thing we haven’t discussed yet is miracles. Did Michael perform miracles? Here are some examples of Michael’s miracles as well as the roles He played for His people:

Michael the Healer: If you watch Michael when He meets sick children, He often touches them on the top of their heads as though He is blessing them… healing them? There are several stories of children who were cured of cancer and other illnesses after visiting Michael at Neverland - Gavin Arvizio for one.

Michael the Saviour: The Bible talks about Jesus feeding 5000 people with only a couple of fish and a few loaves of bread. We know that Michael was responsible for feeding thousands and thousands of starving people all over the world. Not only by His own generous donations, but He also inspired a nation of people to come together for famine relief with U.S.A. for Africa (We Are The World). This effort was the beginning of a global response that reduced the number of starving people on the planet by half.

Michael the Shepherd: The Bible describes Jesus as our shepherd, herding souls together, bringing them back to God. I have heard story after story of people who talk about feeling a spiritual connection to Michael, and hold Him personally responsible for their return to God (myself included). You could even say; causing the ‘blind’ to see, or the ‘dead’ to rise. The awakening of the spirit of a great mass of people is something that cannot be described as anything less than a miracle, and most definitely, the work of God.

Michael the Guardian: Jesus said “Suffer the little children to come unto Me” (Matthew 19:14) We know that Michael loved children. He made it His life’s work to help to heal and protect sick, injured, and underprivileged children in every way possible. He opened His Neverland home to countless children in order to bring joy to their suffering. He donated hundreds of millions of dollars to children’s charities. He visited children’s hospitals, orphanages and hospices regularly, bringing them gifts and toys and Love. He created the Heal the World Foundation. He gave free concert tickets to handicapped and needy children, as well as donating 100% of the proceeds for several concerts to children’s charities. He paid for surgeries, hospital stays and even funeral expenses for families of children who couldn’t afford it. This is just a tiny glimpse of the work Michael did toward healing the world's children.

Michael the Steward of Creation: The Bible tells us through several scriptures, that God expects us to take care of our planet. “The land is Mine and you are but aliens and My tenants. Throughout the country that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land” (Lev 25:23-24) Michael is well known for His stand on ecology. Here is what He says about our responsibility to the state of our planet in “This Is It” as a lead in to “Earth Song”:

"I respect the sequence and magic of nature. That's why it makes Me so angry when I see these things happening here on earth. That every second I hear the size of a football field is torn down in the Amazon. These things really bother me. That's why I write these kind of songs, to give a sense of awareness and awakening and hope to people. I love the Planet, I love the trees. I have this thing for trees - the colours and changing of leaves. I love it. I respect these kind of things. I really think that nature is trying so hard to compensate for man's mismanagement of the planet. Because the planet is sick, like a fever. It's like a runway train. When the times comes, then This Is It. If we don't fix it now, it would be a point of no return.This is our last chance to fix the problem that we have. If we don't take care of it, then who? It starts with us. With us. Or else it would never be done. We have four years to get it right. After that it would be irreversible. Let's take care of the planet." *Note: I thought Michael’s second sentence in this speech was an interesting choice of words “That’s why it makes Me so angry when I see these things happening HERE ON EARTH”

Finally, I would like to look at Michael’s last speech. He gave this speech on the last day of rehearsal for the “This Is It” concerts to be held at the O2 Arena in London in 2009. Here’s what Michael said:

“Everybody's doing a great job. Let's continue and believe and have faith. Give me your all, your endurance, your patience, and your understanding. But it's an adventure, it's a great adventure. It's nothing to be nervous about. They just want wonderful experiences, they want escapism. We wanna take them places that they've never been before. We wanna show them talent like they've never seen before. So give your all. And I love you all. And we're a family. Just know that. We're a family. We're putting love back into the world to remind the world that love is important. Love is important. To love each other. We're all one. That's the message. And take care of the planet. We have four years to get it right or else it's irreversible, the damage we've done. So we have an important message to give. Okay? It's important. But I thank you for your cooperation so far. Thank you. Big thank you. Blessings! Blessings to all.”

At first glance, Michael seems to be talking about the upcoming concert performance, but if you widen your perspective, there seems to be a deeper message. “Let’s continue and believe and have faith. Give Me your all. Your endurance, your patience and your understanding… and I love you all. We’re a family. Just know that… we are a family. We’re putting love back into the world. We are all one. That’s the message. And take care of the planet. Blessings to all”

This sounds somewhat like a farewell speech… not a pep talk. It sounds like a final moment of reminder about what Michael has been saying the entire time He was here. A recap of His Purpose. He leaves us with hope, and a future, and a job to do on His behalf. Then He thanks us, and blesses us. And then He is gone.

But we have not seen the last of Him. I believe there is even more to this story. Much more. If you trace the history of religion to its beginnings, you will find a Christ figure appearing again and again throughout time. Always in a different place, with a different name. But always from God. And always with the same message. God is so much bigger than many of us allow. He is timeless. He is all-encompassing. He always was and always will be. He is the Alpha and the Omega. The Beginning and the End. He is Forever. We need to open our minds and look further... think bigger! There is so much more of God to be understood. We don’t need to try to fit Him into one tiny box. We can allow the true nature of Him to spill over the edges and come flooding out. We can embrace the freedom to know Him and Love Him in all His many Lights. We don’t have to take on the beliefs of others, or accept everything we are told. We are not sinners. It is our sacred responsibility to seek our own unique and intimate relationship with God, and honour the incredible Truth it uncovers. The Truth that sits in the abyss of our soul. That ‘knowing’ that stirs impatiently, anticipating its ultimate and long-awaited release.

In the end, how we arrive, with whom, and from which direction is of no consequence. The messenger may vary, but the message remains the same:

“It’s all for Love. L.O.V.E.” – Michael Jackson 2009

More to come…..Love you all more

Siren xxx

03/20/11 Copyright 2011 © by Siren

Two Birds

It's hard to tell them what I feel for You. They haven't ever met You, and no one has Your picture. So how can they ever understand Your mystery? Let's give them a clue:

Two birds sit in a tree. One eats cherries, while the other looks on. Two birds fly through the air. One's song drops like crystal from the sky while the other keeps silent. Two birds wheel in the sun. One catches the light on its silver feathers, while the other spreads wings of invisibility.

It's easy to guess which bird I am, but they'll never find You. Unless ...

Unless they already know a Love that never interferes, that watches from beyond, that breathes free in the invisible air. Sweet bird, my Soul, Your silence is so precious. How long will it be before the world hears Your song in mine?

Oh, that is a day I hunger for!"

- Michael Jackson

Recommended Reading

Dancing the Dream (by Michael Jackson)

The Holy Bible

An Angel Among Us:  We Called Him Michael Jackson (by Elizabeth Michelle Billeaudeaux)

World Religions: From Ancient History to the Present (Geoffrey Parrinder editor)

Anything and everything written by Michael Jackson