To"survey the wondrous cross" and be filled with gratitude and humble reverence is to receive light and joy; for in Christian Science the thought of the cross is linked with the thought of resurrection, the awakening to eternal life and spiritual power. In the seventeenth chapter of John we are told that Jesus, in the shadow of the dark hours before the crucifixion, lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." He turned from the burden of earth's shame and sorrow, and rose to the consciousness of his perfect, immortal selfhood, dwelling at peace with God in the beauty of holiness, in harmony which nothing mortal could disturb. Thus, even in the hour of trial, he could offer to his disciples joy and peace. They were not ready to accept them, however; they were faithless and full of fear; but when their thought changed, and the clouds darkening it passed, Jesus' promise was waiting—his patience had not failed. His was a perfect triumph. In the face of every obstacle he proved the omnipotence of Love. He knew that before "Love so amazing, so divine," evil must go down; enemies fall; death itself be vanquished, and weak disciples become strong enough to carry on his work and manifest God's glory.
To every one who feels at the mercy of circumstances, in bondage to the past, to the present, or to a cheerless future, Christian Science brings a message of joy and hope. As Christian Scientists we are not helpless. There is something to be done now, something which no one else can do for us. We can think; and when we think divinely, we can come to know. Jesus said, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." A changed habit of thought sooner or later results in a changed life; a changed life results in changed circumstances; and the multiplication of changed individual lives means a changed world. In other words, as we uplift our thought to God,—mentally lift our eyes,—we begin to see the real, the eternal, appearing where before we saw only the unreal, sinful, and temporal; and by this seeming change we are awakened to the omnipresence of our Father, who is unchangeable, perfect Love, and to the existence of spiritual man, His image and likeness.
To put a thought of trust in place of one of fear; a thought of love and humility in place of one of resentment or criticism; a thought of spiritual order in place of one of hurry and worry; a thought of purity and peace in place of one of earthly temptation or care; a thought of divine supply in place of one of material lack; a thought of strength in place of one of weakness, and a thought of eternity in place of one of time, may seem sometimes a small thing to do, at other times overwhelmingly difficult; but by every such prayerful effort the sum total of mankind's burden is lightened. The unwise word then remains unspoken; the evil impulse dies; God's radiant thoughts are seen where darkness claimed to be. By just this means sin and sorrow must eventually fade out and disappear; for God is All-in-all, and in Him there is no darkness. To claim this wonderful understanding now, to affirm it now in daily loving thoughts and deeds, is to take up the cross.
