Day 259: Genesis ii.2-5

519:22-521:17

The highest and sweetest rest, even from a human standpoint, is in holy work.

growth is the eternal mandate of Mind

The harmony and immortality of man are intact. We should look away from the opposite supposition that man is created materially, and turn our gaze to the spiritual record of creation

2010

Day 256: Genesis i.23-25

513:4-515:10

Advancing spiritual steps in the teeming universe of Mind lead on to spiritual spheres and exalted beings.

God creates all forms of reality. His thoughts are spiritual realities.

Understanding the control which Love held over all, Daniel felt safe in the lions' den, and Paul proved the viper to be harmless.

Patience is symbolized by the tireless worm, creeping over lofty summits, persevering in its intent.

2010

Day 255: Genesis i. 17-22

511:7-513:3

The changing glow and full effulgence of God's infinite ideas, images, mark the periods of progress.

2010

Day 249: Today’s Questions

495:25-497:27

How can I progress most rapidly in the understanding of Christian Science? answer

Study thoroughly the letter and imbibe the spirit. Adhere to the divine Principle of Christian Science and follow the behests of God, abiding steadfastly in wisdom, Truth, and 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.

Ask yourself: Am I living the life that approaches the  supreme good? Am I demonstrating the healing power of Truth and Love? If so, then the way will grow brighter "unto the perfect day."

Have Christian Scientists any religious creed? answer

The tenets of Christian Science:

1. As adherents of Truth, we take the inspired Word of the Bible as our sufficient guide to eternal Life.
2. We acknowledge and adore one supreme and infinite God. We acknowledge His Son, one Christ; the Holy Ghost or divine Comforter; and man in God's image and likeness.
3. We acknowledge God's forgiveness of sin in the destruction of sin and the spiritual understanding that casts out evil as unreal. But the belief in sin is punished so long as the belief lasts.
4. We acknowledge Jesus' atonement as the evidence of divine, efficacious Love, unfolding man's unity with God through Christ Jesus the Way-shower; and we acknowledge that man is saved through Christ, through Truth, Life, and Love as demonstrated by the Galilean Prophet in healing the sick and overcoming sin and death.
5. We acknowledge that the crucifixion of Jesus and his resurrection served to uplift faith to understand eternal Life, even the allness of Soul, Spirit, and the nothingness of matter.
6. And we solemnly promise to watch, and pray for that Mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus; to do unto others as we would have them do unto us; and to be merciful, just, and pure.

2010

Day 226: Strictly adhere to Christian Science

447:12-449:6

If the student adheres strictly to the teachings of Christian Science and ventures not to break its rules, he cannot fail of success in healing. It is Christian Science to do right, and nothing short of right doing has any claim to the name. To talk the right and live the wrong is foolish deceit, doing one's self the most harm. Fettered by sin yourself, it is difficult to free another from the fetters of disease. With your own wrists manacled, it is hard to break another's chains. A little leaven causes the whole mass to ferment. A grain of Christian Science does wonders for mortals, so omnipotent is Truth, but more of Christian Science must be gained in order to continue in well doing.

2010

Day 188: Uplifting the Race

371:5-372:32

The necessity for is father to the fact that Mind can do it; for Mind can impart purity instead of impurity, strength instead of weakness, and health instead of disease. Truth is an alterative in the entire system, and can make it "every whit whole."

2010

Day 183: Advancement

359:18-361:32

Spiritual ideas unfold as we advance. A human perception of divine Science, however limited, must be correct in order to be Science and subject to demonstration.

2010

Day 165: Progress

322:3-324:6

It is highly important--in view of the immense work to be accomplished before this recognition of divine Science can come--to turn our thoughts towards divine Principle, that finite belief may be prepared to relinquish its error.

Mortals may seek the understanding of Christian Science, but they will not be able to glean from Christian Science the facts of being without striving for them. This strife consists in the endeavor to forsake error of every kind and to possess no other consciousness but good.

Gladness to leave the false landmarks and joy to see them disappear,--this disposition helps to precipitate the ultimate harmony. The purification of sense and self is a proof of progress.

2010

Day 149: Final Judgment

290:3-292:6

No final judgment awaits mortals, for the judgment-day of wisdom comes hourly and continually

2010

Day 121:Leaders

235:7-237:22

Mary Baker Eddy has a few thoughts about leaders. What a wonderful reading to pray about in all kinds of circumstances.

inferior motives induce the infuriated attacks on individuals…

A mother is the strongest educator, either for or against crime.

To prevent the experience of error and its sufferings, keep out of the minds of your [protégés] either sinful or diseased thoughts.

Words to find or describe leaders

• virtue
• progress
• freedom from wrong
• receptiveness of right
• mental height
• wise spiritual guides to health and hope
• should uplift the standard of Truth
• They should so raise their hearers spiritually, that their listeners will love to grapple with a new, right idea and broaden their concepts
• seek dignity of God's laws

2010

Day 83: Evidence

158:1-160:8

Evidences of progress and of spiritualization greet us on every hand.

 

2010

Day 14: Truth & Honesty

20:6-22:2

The idea that truth commands sure entrance into the realm of Love is interesting because it isn’t capital T – Truth. Mary Baker Eddy also writes if we are honest, we will be earnest from the start and gain a little each day.

Truth and honesty aren’t spiritual concepts as much as self-awareness. Whatever they are,  it is easy to believe I’ve tackled those and that I need to look for other areas to pray about – but that wouldn’t be the honest truth.

2010

Day 8: Space for Prayer

9:5-11:4

Mary Baker Eddy explains that asking isn’t enough. Prayer needs to also include the work of sinning no more. She lists two things that are not a part of prayer:

• material sense
• human will

If I eliminate these entirely from my mental landscape, I wonder if the nature of my prayers would change. I’m not asking to be rich and famous but I have spiritual goals. Perhaps I’m focusing too much on the goal and not the immediate steps in front of me that confirm my progress.
2010

Day 261: The Pathway before Me

523:14-525:6

In this reading, Mary Baker Eddy uses the term “tribal god.” The idea is that a small group of people could devise a deity to serve some purpose is interesting because in a non-religious way, people do that all the time. We construct beliefs to serve our purpose and explain our circumstance. Kids are great at this because they are so fluid in their determination. One day they like hotdogs, the next they don’t. One day the rainbow is made with crayons in the sky by a giant, the next is a fairy with watercolors. I’m going to start looking for tribal gods in my home and thought and show them the door.

Mary Baker Eddy also asks the questions “Is this addition [material man] to His creation real or unreal?” and “Does Spirit enter dust, and lose therein the divine nature and omnipotence?”

I’ve been thinking about about real and not real, dream and not dream. The idea that my spiritual journey right now it looking for the infinite path, as opposed to taking my first steps on the path is very interesting. I came to this thought from the last few days of mulling over

Even eternity can’t reveal the whole of God.

You might think it doesn’t make a different if I’m looking for the path or on the path but it does to me. I need to know that spiritual progress is an obtainable goal. And while I feel, this year, I’ve made progress – baby steps at the most. I’m not saying I’m discouraged, just that the work to be done is so much more than I expected.

I’ve felt that way about a lot of things this year. I should have started sooner. 

Day 249: Million Dollar Question

495:25-497:27

Two questions are in this reading and I’ll handle both of them. The first is the one I have been racing after this year: How can I progress most rapidly in the understanding of Christian Science?

The one element of her answer, and there is a lot to it, that was new to me was:

error cannot destroy error

That seems obvious and straightforward. I shouldn’t even have to try to remember this – it is such an obvious point. However, – and this is a big however, the thought came to me as I read this that a snarky retort to someone’s less-than-loving comment was the error that doesn’t destroy error. Then my mind raced around to all the aggressive or meanly defensive things I tend to do. Oh, you probably wouldn’t think me a mean person but I’m not always kind either. So the idea of error, even in its more commonly accepted form, should be replaced.

My Answer: I would like to add my own answer to the above question. I was raised in Christian Science, although I would call that a spotty job done. I went to Prin and I took class instruction from a previous CS Church Board Member. Outwardly, I took the appropriate steps. Inwardly, I trudged along. I’ve read the book front to back maybe six times. But until this journal, where I knew I only had 5 minutes worth of reading but wanted to get enough out of it to 1) progress and 2) write about it – I focused. Not well all the time, but generally I focused. I focused through a bit of marital turbulence, and a bit of static with my son. And now I want to do it again next year. I have gotten SO MUCH out of this journal that I don’t understand why more people don’t do it. Or talk about it. I think every person who wants to take class instruction should take it only after reading this journal. Or, and this won’t happen but it’s nice to think about, do away with a two-week class, and make the whole thing based on this journal. Make each student work for a year processing Recapitulation by reading the entire book.

The second question asks about a creed. I wanted to boil these tenets down to very short thoughts for myself:

1. Inspired word of the Bible (not the literal word)
2. one supreme and infinite God
3. God’s forgiveness of sin
4. man is saved through Truth, Life, and Love
5. crucifixion and resurrection served to understand nothingness of matter
6. for that Mind to be in us which was in Christ Jesus

Day 217: Great Quotes

428:3-430:12

Some days, I underline most of the reading. Today is one of those days but for this blog, I’ll just pick out a few:

Man’s privilege at this supreme moment is to prove the words of our Master: “If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.”

To divest thought of false trusts and material evidences in order that the spiritual facts of being may appear, – this is the great attainment by means of which we shall sweep away the false and give place to the true.

eternal building

everlasting Father

We must realize the ability of mental might to offset human misconceptions and to replace them with the life which is spiritual, not material.

We must hold forever the consciousness of existence

We must being, however, with the more simple demonstrations of control, and the soon we begin the better.

if we are wise, we look beyond a single step in the line of spiritual advancement

Faith should enlarge its borders and strengthen its base by resting upon Spirit instead of matter.

Day 176: More information about Progress

345:10-347:11
The two points I underlined today are:

Disbelief in error destroys error, and leads to the discernment of Truth.

and:

Material beliefs must be expelled to make room for spiritual understanding.

My take on these are: If I’m not gaining the progress I want, I need to search out any remaining error and material beliefs.

Day 165: Progress

322:3-324:6

I'm beginning to get into the groove of how Mary Baker Eddy wrote. This reading is about spiritual progress: both what is required and then what the result will be. She has pages like this scattered throughout the book but when I first started reading, I didn't know they would reoccur from time to time.

In some ways, this reading is like a pep talk. "Look where you are going. Have you experienced this good result yet? Don't worry. You will."

A couple of lines caught my eye:

Beholding the infinite tasks of truth, we pause, -- wait on God.

And:

Truth is demonstrable when understood, and that good is not understood until demonstrated. 

I bolded the words that hit home for me.

As a side note, matters with boy child are going well. He is back to his lovely and loving self. I prayed and it worked.

Day 124: Visible Footprints

241:19-243:15

The reading today covers more of way marks of progress or steps back away from progress. The first and only way mark to indicate spiritual progress is healing sickness and destroying sin:

The substance of all devotion is the reflection and demonstration of divine Love, healing sickness and destroying sin. 

This statement has two parts: what has be to done, and what the result will be. To do: reflect and demonstrate divine Love. Will produce: healing sickness and destroying sin. I love when MBE makes it so clear and concise.

She also gives me a specific step to take:

Denial of the claims of matter is a great step towards the joys of Spirit, towards human freedom and the final triumph over the body.

How do people deny the claims of matter when sometimes matter is literally screaming to be heard? That's an honest question. When the claims are less than screaming or completely consuming, I can focus spiritually.

Day 122: The Path of Progress

237:23-239:22

Today's reading had some wonderful ideas about the work and way marks of Spiritual progress.

The first ideas was about personal character:

It is well to wait till those whom you would benefit are ready for the blessing, for Science is working changes in personal character as well as in the material universe.

There are some changes I wanted to make in my character when I started this journal at the beginning of the year. Some were superficial and trivial. Some were deeper and more meaningful but probably only to me. While the list is far from complete, a couple of changes have taken place and I'm thrilled. They weren't hard. It was a natural change.

The second idea was:

Unimproved opportunities will rebuke us...

This is one of those ideas that I think my grandfather drilled into me since I was a wee kid. I do feel unimproved opportunitiues sharply. This is usually followed by someone saying don't beat yourself up over it. I would prefer to make the right choice the first time. I must listen better.

And the final idea:

To ascertain our progress, we must learn where our affections are placed and whom we acknowledge and obey as God. 

 My affections are in flux. One of those personality changes I'm working on. Nice to now I've made some progress.