ON pages 232 and 233 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy writes, "There is neither place nor opportunity in Science for error of any sort." Turn where we may in any of our revered Leader's works, we find that she has reiterated again and again, though in many forms and with varying illustrations to emphasize her contention, the facts of the unity of good and the nothingness of evil, and the perfection of God and His idea, man and the universe. On page 333 of the same book she writes, "Throughout all generations both before and after the Christian era. the Christ, as the spiritual idea,—the reflection of God,—has come with some measure of power and grace to all prepared to receive Christ, Truth," clearly indicating that the recognition of perfection, "the spiritual idea,—the reflection of God,"—is for all. Indeed, man exists in order that he may receive—express—God. As a ray of sunshine receives its heat and light from the sun, so man, the reflection of God, receives from God all that he really is and has.
But when, it may be asked, does this receiving take place? The reply is, Always. For if "there is neither place nor opportunity in Science for error of any sort," it follows that there can be "place" and "opportunity" only for what is right. In other words, man is now, always has been, and always will be open to receive good, and good alone.
A definition of "opportunity" reads, "A fit or convenient time; a time or place favorable for executing a purpose." It is always the "fit or convenient" time to receive good; for has not the apostle said. "Behold, now is the accepted time"? But do we always accept good, although it is our part in the loving Father's plan for His children? No one can do our accepting for us ; each one must humbly, trustingly, gratefully, first reach out for, and then lay hold of, the wonderful gifts of Love. To be the expression of good, the embodiment of right ideas, is what the incarnation really means, as we learn from the words of our Leader on page 77 of "Miscellaneous Writings," which tell us that the incarnation is "God made manifest through man." Hence it is through spiritual man that God appears; it is also through this man that we become aware of all that is like God—holiness, happiness, health, strength, love.
