Of course, it's always the time to obey what our beloved Christ Jesus taught. But it seems to me with the uncertainty and fear gripping too many in the world right now, our selflessness is especially needed.
Recently I read a book that describes the conditions facing humanity during WW2. This book focused on what my religion, Christian Science, did in Europe to comfort and help citizens What stood out to me strikingly was the degree of unselfishness that prevailed, not only across the sea, but in the United States as people volunteered to make sure clothing and food would reach those in need. Some of the accounts of putting self aside in sacrifices I can't even imagine brought tears to my eyes. Our Master's command was alive and well and practiced in circumstances most of us will never have to confront. And surmount.
A line from a prayer written by the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science is something I've been thinking about this morning: "And may Thy Word enrich the affections of all mankind, and govern them." (By Mary Baker Eddy)
Sunday, March 22, 2020
Monday, March 16, 2020
The media and disease
Just because a certain disease is reported through the media doesn't mean that you and I have to get sick.
It's reassuring to know that we can remain healthy at a time when disease is being magnified and potentially multiplied by publicity. Many of the current reports about contagion are we'll intentioned and meant as a public service. There is, however, a side to all the media attention these days that thoughtful citizens should be aware of. Mary Baker Eddy writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures": "The press unwittingly sends forth many sorrows and diseases among the human family. It does this by giving names to diseases and by printing long descriptions which mirror images of disease distinctly in thought." (pp. 196-197)
Fortunately, no one has to live with the worry, "Will I be next to get sick?" There is a way not only to eliminate fear of these maladies but to prevent them from occurring. Christ Jesus admonished his disciples, "What I say unto you I say unto all, Watch." (Mark 13:37)
Through the study and application of Christian Science, one may learn how to watch, how to defend himself from disease and suffering. The Christian Science textbook, referred to earlier, contains many things we can do mentally, prayerfully to safeguard our physical well-being. For example, it tells us: "Stand porter at the door of thought. Admitting only such conclusions as you wish realized in bodily results, you will control yourself harmoniously. When the condition is present, which you say induces disease, whether it be air, exercise, heredity, contagion, or accident, then perform your office as porter and shut out these unhealthy thoughts and fears. Exclude from mortal mind the offending errors; then the body cannot suffer from them." (Science and Health, p. 392)
When a person learns that thought affects every aspect of his life, he sees the necessity of replacing fearful, sickly thoughts, with truths that uplift his understanding to the recognition that he actually is spiritual--the way God created his child and has maintained him. He sees the importance of conforming to the Christly standard Jesus established for all mankind. No matter what others may be falsely believing about sickness and disease, we don't have to abjectly surrender our peace of mind and harmony but may instead exercise our God-given power over suffering.
When we understand that man, under God's government, reflects divine power and ability, we are better able to control our thoughts and so our daily lives. Each one of us is a free moral agent, possessing the God-bestowed capacity to choose the spiritually true and reject the false, choose divine ideas, and reject mortal suggestions. No one can do this for us, and no matter how blatant and pervasive media coverage may be, no one can prevent us from doing it. Each one of us is responsible for our own thoughts regarding the subject of health.
A well-known verse from Psalms declares, "Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation, there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling." (Ps. 91:9, 10) The potent, spiritual truths of Christian Science make this Bible promise practical for us, provable right now.
It's reassuring to know that we can remain healthy at a time when disease is being magnified and potentially multiplied by publicity. Many of the current reports about contagion are we'll intentioned and meant as a public service. There is, however, a side to all the media attention these days that thoughtful citizens should be aware of. Mary Baker Eddy writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures": "The press unwittingly sends forth many sorrows and diseases among the human family. It does this by giving names to diseases and by printing long descriptions which mirror images of disease distinctly in thought." (pp. 196-197)
Fortunately, no one has to live with the worry, "Will I be next to get sick?" There is a way not only to eliminate fear of these maladies but to prevent them from occurring. Christ Jesus admonished his disciples, "What I say unto you I say unto all, Watch." (Mark 13:37)
Through the study and application of Christian Science, one may learn how to watch, how to defend himself from disease and suffering. The Christian Science textbook, referred to earlier, contains many things we can do mentally, prayerfully to safeguard our physical well-being. For example, it tells us: "Stand porter at the door of thought. Admitting only such conclusions as you wish realized in bodily results, you will control yourself harmoniously. When the condition is present, which you say induces disease, whether it be air, exercise, heredity, contagion, or accident, then perform your office as porter and shut out these unhealthy thoughts and fears. Exclude from mortal mind the offending errors; then the body cannot suffer from them." (Science and Health, p. 392)
When a person learns that thought affects every aspect of his life, he sees the necessity of replacing fearful, sickly thoughts, with truths that uplift his understanding to the recognition that he actually is spiritual--the way God created his child and has maintained him. He sees the importance of conforming to the Christly standard Jesus established for all mankind. No matter what others may be falsely believing about sickness and disease, we don't have to abjectly surrender our peace of mind and harmony but may instead exercise our God-given power over suffering.
When we understand that man, under God's government, reflects divine power and ability, we are better able to control our thoughts and so our daily lives. Each one of us is a free moral agent, possessing the God-bestowed capacity to choose the spiritually true and reject the false, choose divine ideas, and reject mortal suggestions. No one can do this for us, and no matter how blatant and pervasive media coverage may be, no one can prevent us from doing it. Each one of us is responsible for our own thoughts regarding the subject of health.
A well-known verse from Psalms declares, "Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation, there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling." (Ps. 91:9, 10) The potent, spiritual truths of Christian Science make this Bible promise practical for us, provable right now.
Saturday, March 7, 2020
No need to fear disease
I've been thinking a lot in recent days of this contagion fear, and have been so grateful for 3 things:
1) All the commands of our dear Master Christ Jesus on being not afraid, fearing not.
2) The teachings of Christian Science that hold to the Biblical truth of man created in God's likeness, who is divine Spirit, you and I therefore spiritual and perfect. God as I have been taught in my religion not only has made us in His image, but is holding us in His love- intact, beyond the reach of disease--whatever it's current name and description may be.
3) And as a hymn we sing sometimes in our church services says, "Everlasting arms of Love, are beneath, around, above." And what can get through that to make us ill?
1) All the commands of our dear Master Christ Jesus on being not afraid, fearing not.
2) The teachings of Christian Science that hold to the Biblical truth of man created in God's likeness, who is divine Spirit, you and I therefore spiritual and perfect. God as I have been taught in my religion not only has made us in His image, but is holding us in His love- intact, beyond the reach of disease--whatever it's current name and description may be.
3) And as a hymn we sing sometimes in our church services says, "Everlasting arms of Love, are beneath, around, above." And what can get through that to make us ill?
Sunday, March 1, 2020
Contagion
With the widespread concern about the Chinese virus these days, the following article published in the March 9th issue of the Christian Science Sentinel can be of help to my readers. It was written by Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science -
CONTAGION
Whatever man sees, feels, or in any way takes cognizance of, must be caught through mind, inasmuch as perception, sensation, and consciousness belong to mind, and not to matter. Floating with the popular current of mortal thought without questioning the reliability of its conclusions, we do what others do, believe what others believe, and say what others say, Common consent is contagious, and it makes disease catching.
People believe in infectious and contagious diseases, and that any one is liable to have them under certain predisposing and exciting causes. This mental state prepares one to have any disease whenever there appear the circumstances which he believes produce it. If he believed as sincerely that health is catching when exposed to contact with healthy people, he would catch their state of feeling quite as surely and with better effect than he does the sick man's.
If only the people would believe that good is more contagious than evil, since God is omnipresence, how much more certain would be the doctor's success, and the clergyman's conversion of sinners. And if only the pulpit would encourage faith in God in this direction, and faith in Mind over all other influences governing the receptivity of the body, theology would teach man as David taught: "Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling."
The confidence of mankind in contagious disease would thus become beautifully less; and in the same proportion would faith in the power of God to heal and to save mankind increase, until the whole human race would become healthier, holier, happier, and longer lived. A calm, Christian state of mind is a better preventive of contagion than a drug, or than any other possible sanitive method, and the "perfect Love" that "casteth out fear" is sure defense.
CONTAGION
Whatever man sees, feels, or in any way takes cognizance of, must be caught through mind, inasmuch as perception, sensation, and consciousness belong to mind, and not to matter. Floating with the popular current of mortal thought without questioning the reliability of its conclusions, we do what others do, believe what others believe, and say what others say, Common consent is contagious, and it makes disease catching.
People believe in infectious and contagious diseases, and that any one is liable to have them under certain predisposing and exciting causes. This mental state prepares one to have any disease whenever there appear the circumstances which he believes produce it. If he believed as sincerely that health is catching when exposed to contact with healthy people, he would catch their state of feeling quite as surely and with better effect than he does the sick man's.
If only the people would believe that good is more contagious than evil, since God is omnipresence, how much more certain would be the doctor's success, and the clergyman's conversion of sinners. And if only the pulpit would encourage faith in God in this direction, and faith in Mind over all other influences governing the receptivity of the body, theology would teach man as David taught: "Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling."
The confidence of mankind in contagious disease would thus become beautifully less; and in the same proportion would faith in the power of God to heal and to save mankind increase, until the whole human race would become healthier, holier, happier, and longer lived. A calm, Christian state of mind is a better preventive of contagion than a drug, or than any other possible sanitive method, and the "perfect Love" that "casteth out fear" is sure defense.
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