Thanks giving

Growing up in a different religion our family celebrated Thanksgiving differently. I grew up in what sometimes seems like a quieter, safer time. We did not have the technology that is everywhere now. Our family had one tv, no computers, no internet, no cel phones, no IPads, no texting, no twitter. We got together at my Aunt Juanita's house because she had the biggest dining room. It could seat 20 and we still ate in shifts and all day long. It was a time for generations to mix and we often met relatives we did not know we had. There was no church service, no grace before the meal. The Aunties all cooked for days and the kitchens were overflowing with dishes we did not have the rest of the year. This feast meant something to us because our usual fare was much simpler. The 'big' kids were expected to help with the 'little' kids and we all gathered at the end of the day to watch old home movies.

Christian Science has a been a blessing to me from the beginning. I found a religion that presents God the way I always thought He was, the Good Shepherd, a loving Father Mother, comforting, guarding and guiding His flock. I did not really understand much of what I read in our textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy. But I loved what I could understand, began to learn the spiritual interpretation of The Lord's Prayer, and had some healings. It was the people I meet at church who impressed me with their friendliness, their inclusiveness, their willingness to let me progress at my own pace. I also fell in love with the hymnal and sang out during the services, more than once with tears streaming down my face.

That first Thanksgiving celebrated among my new friends began with attending a church service where time was set aside to express gratitude, audibly or silently. Then we gathered at someone's house and I remember sitting with my infant son watching a brand new show called Sesame Street.
The meal was delicious and it began with a grace and a moment for silent thanksgiving. I felt so peaceful and happy.

This year will be a bit different as some of my household travel to visit with relatives in Texas. I will be staying here where two of my 'grands' are attending Principia College. One is not able to fly home for the Thanksgiving break so she will join me here and we will have so much fun in our fluffy pajamas watching tv specials, listening to holiday music and preparing a very traditional feast. The other 'grand' has invited several friends, who also could not fly home, to join us and it should be lots of fun. His girl friend and her Mom from Saint Louis will be busy helping prepare all our favorite foods. Her Mom is Jewish and this year Hannukah begins on our Thanksgiving Day. I look forward to blending traditions.

So much good in my life. Such richness. Great blessings. But right at the top of my list is finding Christian Science and the spiritual growth I have experienced the past 40+ years.
I can only echo the Golden Text from our Thanksgiving Bible Lesson:
O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good.

Oh, I see... THAT man.

In this week's Bible Lesson we have the gospel account of the woman taken in adultery. The Pharisees and scribes were convinced that Jesus could not be the true Messiah and they were setting a trap for him, hoping to discredit him in front of his followers. They dragged a woman into the place where Jesus was sitting, teaching the people. They set her right in the middle and demanded that he decide her fate. Was she to be stoned as the Mosaic law decreed or not? Jesus took a few minutes, stooping down and doodling in the dust. I imagine he was given the whole situation a treatment, praying to see the powerlessness of hatred and animosity, turning to God for direction. As he remained silent, waiting for his answer, they continued to badger him. He stands up and tells them that 'he that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her'. One by one, convicted in their own conscience, they slunk away, leaving the woman in the midst of Jesus' disciples. The gospel says 'Jesus was left alone'. I read that two ways. They had departed, but also that they left off badgering him. He was left alone.

What stood out to me today as I worked with this section of the Lesson were the corresponding citations from Science and Health and the references to 'man'. Jesus has asked her, "Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?". She replies, "No man, Lord." He tells her that neither does he condemn her and that she should go and sin no more.

No man. What man are we talking about here? The man that is God's idea, made in His image and likeness. Mrs. Eddy writes, "Man is the family name for all ideas, - the sons and daughters of God". This defines that 'man' or woman who does not condemn but sees his fellow man or woman as God's beloved sinless child. How does this help her? Again Mrs. Eddy points out, "The real man being linked by Science to his Maker, mortals need only turn from sin and lost sight of mortal selfhood to find Christ, the real man and his relationship to God, and to recognize the divine sonship". This is what the Christ helped her to see. Her ability to turn away from sinful choices by understanding her pure nature as God's child.

That is what I want to be doing in my every day encounters with those around me at home, at the college, around town. See as Jesus saw. Help others see their true identity. Let me never be the one that condemns. Let me only see each one, myself included, as His divine image and likeness. Let me be that 'man'.

Living water or troubled water? Your choice.

This week's Bible Lesson offers us a very clear choice. Will we choose living water or be mesmerized by trouble waters?

The man Jesus saw, waiting for his healing beside a pool of water, watched helplessly as others got to that troubled water before he did. He spent his time watching for the motion so he must have had some receptivity and expectation of good. But when Jesus asked him if he would be healed, he had a list of excuses he believed were in the way. Troubles. Troubles of all kinds, within himself, being physically challenged. Troubled, without, by being left there with no one to help him get to the pool. When we are faced with a problem, we must be alert not to accept the limitations our human experience would insist are getting in our way. The Christ is just a freely available to us as it was to that man. And when he opened his eyes, his healing of a 38-year-long problem was instantly and completely healed.

The woman fetching water at Jacob's well was surprised when Jesus spoke with her. Jews and Samaritans were bitter enemies. He asks her for a drink of water and tells her she could have asked him for a drink and he would have given her 'living water'. Like the man beside the pool, she sees limits and restrictions. She comments that the well is deep...the water appears to be out of reach...and he has nothing to bring it up. But Jesus knew the immediacy of supply and the infinite goodness of God, who is always prepared to meet the need for His children. Wouldn't we prefer to choose 'living water', a constant fresh supply of whatever is needed in our experience?

The Golden Text from Deuteronomy says, "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms:".  God is always present, good is always present. No 'enemy' can triumph over you. You need never feel trapped in some net. God redeems us. The dictionary defines 'redeem' as to pay off a note. Pay it off completely. Debt gone. His mercy is everlasting. We just need to do our part.

Choose.

This week's Bible Lesson includes Jesus' parable about the lost sheep. I am looking at it with fresh eyes to find something new and wonderful. To set it in context, he is addressing a crowd that included publicans and sinners who gathered close to hear him.

The publicans were despised and considered traitors who for financial gain had sided with the Romans and collected tribute for their treasury. Any money they gained would not be accepted as alms, they were not allowed to testify in court, and they were considered heathens. Sinners were those who were notorious transgressors. Jesus received both graciously and lived side by side with them in peace. This behavior greatly offended the Scribes and Pharisees. They were self-righteous and had neither love nor hope for them. Their murmurings lead Jesus to share this parable to warn them that there will be more joy in heaven over one of these penitents than over ninety-nine such as themselves.

They were to be as Shepherds of their religious flock. He came to seek and save that which was lost and so must they. And He seeks until he finds them. Or as with those who came to hear him, they found him. Then he gently carries them home, brings them back into the fold. And their is much rejoicing at their return.

We claim to be his followers, we study the Lesson each week, we attend services and participate in church. How are we seeking and saving those among us who are struggling? Do we leave them in their wilderness or do we seek to see their true identity and know they can never be separated from their Shepherd. When they start coming back to church do we welcome them with open arms with no reference to the wandering, audibly or held in thought?

Soul can never be lost. Man, who is the reflection of Soul, cannot be lost either. I will examine my thinking today and be sure I am on the side with Christ, obeying the Rule for Motives and Acts and not condemning or judging another's journey.

Show me, Shepherd, how to gather and how to sow and how to feed your sheep.

The parable of the talents explained in a new way

I am so very grateful for an posting I read this morning that helped me see Jesus' parable of the talents in a whole new light. It always seemed like an odd story, one that cast the Master in a bad light. My sympathy was with the man who did not increase his talent but returned it unspent.  Over the years I have come to see a more spiritual way of  looking at that description of the kingdom of heaven but what I read today took it to a whole new level.

Think of the man 'travelling into a far country' as the Christ. Before he goes, he calls his servants, or those who choose to follow the Christ, and gives them shares of his 'goods'. In Jesus' time a talent was a sizable amount of money, more than a man could earn in twenty years. So this was no small responsibility. It was not an outright gift, but he was leaving it in their care until he returned. Think of that as our having received Christian Science, to the level of our present understanding.

While he was 'away' the wise servants improved those talents, grew spiritually, used that time of probation for progress in understanding more about God and themselves as His image and likeness. But one servant misunderstood Christ. He falsely believed him to be 'hard man', perhaps thought of God as punishing and formidable. Many religions view God that way expecting wrath and cruelty. This man was afraid of that God and he did not use the time to correct his wrong beliefs but hid them 'in the earth', saw himself as the man in Genesis Two, created from the dust of the ground and eventually banished from the kingdom of heaven. He hands back the gift of Christian Science unused and remains as he was when it came to him.

The Master chastised him for not seeking help, he could have called a practitioner or a Christian Science friend who would have gladly helped  and encouraged him to use that talent. We may all have had opportunities to seek and strive for a clearer understanding of some situation. We might have chosen to live with some challenge rather than use Christian Science to heal it. That option is there.

Mrs. Eddy writes much about our salvation resting on 'progression and probation' as we come to see that 'heaven is not a locality, but a divine state of Mind'. We can choose or accept the belief of ignorance but ignoring a situation never leads to healing. No matter how long you nurse a grudge, it will never get better. No matter how long you accept and live with error, it will not just go away.

Our 'work' is to improve our experience, use the talents, put into practice what we already know, even if that seems like just a little bit, and work daily to gain more. God works with us. Use your 'one' talent and watch it grow. Then the Christ will compliment you, well done, as you are faithful over the little things. They are preparing you to overcome and have dominion over the rest.

Today I must be a guest in your house

Yesterday I opened the Sentinel for the week of September 30th and read the lead article...God's children - responsive, not rebellious...by Glory Holzworth. The whole article is wonderful and I recommend reading it, but, I was blown away by her insight about Jesus' words to Zacchaeus. The tax collector was known for his ruthless and obsessive dealings with others and they considered him a sinner. But when he heard that Jesus was passing nearby, this little man dropped his dignity and climbed a tree to see over the crowd. When Jesus came to that place he looked up and saw him.

Now, let's take a moment with this week's Golden Text from John 7:24. "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment". Do not look on the outward appearance. Use your spiritual sense to bear witness only to truth. Jesus did this constantly, and he obviously saw something more to Zacchaeus.

Jesus was the center of attention and everyone wanted to be near him. He could have had dinner with anyone. But Luke records these beautiful words...Zacchaeus, make haste and come down for today I must abide at thy house. Imagine how that must have made Zacchaeus feel, to be so singled out for this honor. They have dinner together and Zacchaeus is so moved by the words of this great teacher that he changes his whole lifestyle and vows to make amends to those he has cheated in the past.

I thought about those words all day. Today I must abide at thy house. I imagined all day that the Christ was choosing to spend the day with me. Mrs. Eddy defines 'house' as 'spiritual consciousness'. The Christ is right there with me in my thinking all day. He doesn't just drop by for a few minutes, he abides. 

And with the Christ-consciousness we can always 'judge righteous judgment', we can be the spiritual see-ers mentioned in last week's Lesson. What an opportunity to go through the day seeing everyone as the Christ sees them. How quickly we sometimes judge a person or a situation and miss the blessing of Truth knowing.

So I had an especially sweet day, welcoming the Christ to my 'house'. I think I will continue affirming the presence of the Christ today.

Behold = look until you see. Be a spiritual see-er

The first word in this week's Golden Text is 'behold'. I recently read a comment that 'behold' means 'look until you see' and I just love that idea so what fun that it is the first word in the Lesson on Reality. I went through the Lesson and circled the places where 'behold' appears and worked with those ideas yesterday.

...behold, the kingdom of God is within you.  Look until you see, truly understand that this is the reality of your being, your true spiritual identity. And look until you see that the kingdom of God is all that is within you. There is no place for anything else to lodge or intrude.

...behold, your God will come with a vengeance, even God with a recompense; He will come and save you.  Look until you see that God , as the New Living Translation puts it, your God is coming to destroy your enemies, He is coming to save you.  Or as the Message Bible translates it, God is here, right here, on His way to put things right and redress all wrongs. He's on His way and He will save you!

God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.  Look until you see what God sees, all of His creation as very good.

Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law. What a simple and profound prayer! Open my eyes, let me see only what You see, and I will behold wonderful things all around me. That is the prayer Elisha prayed when his servant was dismayed to find them surrounded by an enemy army. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. Now that is how you look until you see. And the result? In this perfect man the Saviour saw God's own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick. Yes!

The same ( a man crippled from his mother's womb) hear Paul speak: who steadfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.  Paul beheld...he looked until he saw that man's perfection and that spark within him that was receptive to healing, even of a life long so-called birth defect.

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us, that we should be called the sons of God:  Look until you see this great gift of grace bestowed on us unconditionally by our dear Father, God. This is read every Sunday at the church service and Sunday school meeting. It should never be so familiar that we don't pay attention to it.

Never stop beholding. Look until you see the reality of your oneness with divine Love.

Behold and be whole.