NEVER FAIL TO LOVE

There is never a human situation in which you are justified in a failure to love. “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.” (John 15:9) We must all endure unto the end, until all error is destroyed in our consciousness, because we are never separated from the love that is Love, God.

“To gain Christian Science and its harmony, life should be more metaphysically regarded.” (S&H 65:11) As we are aware of and obedient to ever-present Love, God’s blessings are manifested abundantly in our experience. “ ‘God is Love.’ More than this we cannot ask, higher we cannot look, farther we cannot go.”

HOLY COMPANIONSHIP

The image of Jesus meekly and humbly washing his disciples feet portrayed in the gospel of John shows us that the Christ is infinitely tender, and merciful. Christ is always at the door of consciousness, ready to enter whenever the portal swings open.

“Who is ready to follow his teaching and example?” (S&H 54:8 only) When the Christ consciousness appears as our only Mind, then messages of Love, Life, and everlasting joy soothe and wash the weary and heavy-burdened. This is the Comforter, Christ Jesus promised would come to us, and never to depart from the consciousness that willingly gives up self and seeks and cherishes this holy companionship.

HOW ARE WE MEASURING?

Those mired in the first stage of mortal mind may be be interpreting Jesus’ saying “For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” (Luke 6:38 For) as a way to be treated fairly in in their mortal dealings. They believe if they are fair in their outward dealings with others, they will be rewarded and receive the same fair treatment in return. This may be true on some shallow level, but the spiritual meaning goes much deeper.

When we meet someone do we take a mental inventory of their capacities or character? Yes, we all are engaged in this activity, but we must not measure another on the belief that he is a material personality, a combination of Spirit and matter. Instead we must be followers of Jesus who “mapped it out for us. He unveiled the Christ consciousness, the spiritual idea of divine Love.” (S&H 38:24-26 paraphrase) “The divine us living and blessing and expressing true existence and feeling the unspeakable peace which comes from an all-absorbing spiritual love.” (S&H 264:24 paraphrase)

CAST THY BREAD

“God gives the lesser idea of Himself for a link to the greater, and in return, the higher always protects the lower.” (S&H 518:13) Man dwelling in Science, divine Principle, Love, is in reality God’s higher ideas, which reflect His infinite tenderness, not just towards our brothers and sisters, but towards everything and everywhere.

As we gain in understanding and are filled with the Spirit, our every thought, word, and deed is the presence of love. "Cast thy bread, upon the waters:" tenderly. This casting is done as thought or the magnification of Love and it is expressed in quiet unobtrusive ways. We cast the Truth fearlessly on everything and to everyone, but we do it silently if we are truly Christian Scientists. When thought is prepared “for thou shalt find it (thy bread) after many days.” When you do speak do it with a sense of peace and Love, because in back of each thought is the power and presence of the divine Principle, Love.

PHYSICALITY – LOST IN TRANSLATION

Spiritually understood the story of Noah and his three sons is a lesson in the translation of mortal mind see S&H pg 115. Noah is a state of consciousness defined by Mrs. Eddy in the Glossary of Science and Health as "A corporeal mortal; knowledge of the nothingness of material things and of the immortality of all that is spiritual." (S&H 592:22) Ham represents a type of physicality or the first degree of mortal mind “Ham (Noah’s son). Corporeal belief; sensuality; slavery; tyranny.” (S&H 587:21) Mortal mind in its first degree, depravity, is always ready to announce to the world those qualities that make a case for its existence or consciousness. When Shem, "a corporeal mortal; kindly affection, love rebuking error; reproof of sensualism", (S&H 594:14) who represents the second degree, moral, and Japhet, "a type of spiritual peace, flowing from the understanding that God is the divine Principle of all existence, and that man is His idea, the child of His care." (S&H 589:8) who represents the third degree, spiritual, heard this, they worked together in meekness and humility to take away the claim of the sinful sense Ham was broadcasting.

When Noah arose, he cursed Ham, the physical sense, making him a servant to the moral and spiritual senses. He blessed Shem, the transitional stage, morality, and enlarged Japhet, the spiritual sense. And Canaan, "the testimony of what is termed material sense", (S&H 582:24) shall be Spirit’s servant.

LOVE ONE ANOTHER

Mrs. Eddy writes in “Pulpit and Press” (p 21) “Christian Scientists …. inevitably love one another with that love wherewith Christ loveth us; a love unselfish, unambitious, impartial, and universal – that loves only because it is Love.” Do you see how Mrs. Eddy transcends the human sense of love? Jesus also taught “beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God;” Another way of looking at this is to say “Let us God one another, because Love is God.” Love that is God is the divine Principle. Without this divine Principle, Love, we do not truly know love, because the human variable sense of love is not love. Every inharmony experienced by mankind can be traced back to a basic belief in a material selfhood which produces a materially originated sense of love. “You will learn that in Christian Science the first duty is to obey God, to have one Mind, and to love another as yourself.” (S&H 496:5)