In studying the familiar and well-loved emblem of Christian Science, the cross and crown, which must ever be the hallmark of authentic Christian Science literature, one is impressed with the character of the crown. He discovers it to be the opposite of the crown of thorns; rather is it a crown of power and authority, of triumph and rejoicing. May not the cross symbolize the way of material sense, the human way of dream and suffering, and the crown the way of Truth, of Love's reality? We need to keep clearly in thought that the crown is not material. It is the crown of Spirit, signifying spiritual understanding and rejoicing. As we follow the way of the crown, the cross disappears, is eliminated from consciousness.
On page 350 of "Miscellaneous Writings" Mary Baker Eddy says, "I issue no arguments, and cause none to be used in mental practice, which consign people to suffering." The way of the cross, then, is not the way of Love, of divine Principle. It is the way of material dream; and this waking dream, like the sleeping dream, has no self, no ego, through which it can be identified. It is always a dream calling itself a dreamer. However, it does at times seem to mesmerize one into claiming it and giving it a selfhood, carrying the cross of suffering, of belief in separation from the good which is God. Through the crown of spiritual understanding, however, one finds his true selfhood in Spirit, and the cross fades into nothingness. How beautifully one finds this fading out of the cross illustrated in our Leader's poem "Christ and Christmas."
In one of her best-loved poems Mrs. Eddy writes (Poems, p. 12):
"I kiss the cross, and wake to know
A world more bright."
What does it mean to "kiss the cross"? May it not mean that we are to see in the error which the cross represents a challenge to our understanding of the truth of being as the constant and uninterrupted expression of divine Mind; an opportunity to demonstrate the presence and power of divine Love and to be its unmarred reflection? Is not this what Jesus meant when he bade his followers take up the cross and follow him? In order to do this one must be fully convinced of the truth he declares and its omnipotence, its infallible law. He must intelligently and unflinchingly trust that law and its ceaseless activity, operating unhindered by false, material concepts
A woman carrying in belief a cross of physical discord said to the practitioner to whom she had turned for help, "Of course, I want to be healed physically, but not before I have learned every lesson this experience has to teach me." This willingness to kiss the cross, to learn the lessons of Truth, necessarily brought a quick mental and physical healing. Was not this the mental attitude of Jacob when he wrestled with the angel and said, "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me"?
In thus learning to kiss the cross, one ceases to fear it, to resent it, or to complain about it. Rather does he set about diligently and triumphantly to learn the truth of its superlative opposite. He learns that the cross is never a material or physical difficulty, demanding a material or physical remedy, but rather a mental perversion, to be corrected mentally. He learns the marvels of divine Science, the glowing truths of real being. He learns to displace every ungodlike trait of character with the Christ-qualities of divine Mind.
Such a one learns to love rather than to hate or fear, to be grateful rather than resentful, to put off the falsities of criticism, condemnation, impatience, self-will, discouragement. Discouragement has been defined by someone as "disappointed self-will." So one learns to put off self-will, whether it appears as a good self-will or the contrary. He learns to wait on God's good will, which is always operating in his behalf. He learns to displace intellectual wrestlings with scientific humility, to wear the crown of unity rather than bear the cross of separation. To kiss the cross with understanding is to crown the cross with demonstration and "wake to know a world more bright."
We must learn to put a crown on every cross, wherever it may appear, and however high we may have to climb to do so. It may be a cross representing false theology, mistaken teaching about God and man, presenting an inconsistent God, who knows and permits both good and evil, and man subject to these conflicting powers, a God consisting of both Spirit and matter and so continually divided against Himself. Here is an opportunity, indeed, to place upon this cross, wherever it may be, the shining crown of the teaching of Christ Jesus that God is one God and eternally good: a God of life who knows not death, a God who knows not fear or hate, but a God of love who omnipotently decrees love for His creation. Let us consecratedly work, then, to crown every cross of ignorance, bigotry, intolerance, and ecclesiastical despotism with the radiant diadem of spiritual understanding, omnipotent Truth.
Does our neighbor appear to be carrying a cross? Let us hasten to crown it with reflected Love, keeping our own consciousness undarkened by cross-forming shadows. This Love-lit crown will assuredly help him on his way. While we may not without his request presume to give him specific treatment, it is our privilege, nay, our sacred duty, in our own thinking to put upon that cross the crown of rejoicing, the understanding of its unreality. We are privileged to know the universal love of the Father, who afflicteth not His children, but ever holds them in the light and law of Love and harmony. We are privileged to know that nothing exists that can resist or that is resisting this divine law of Love. Then we can with joy and peace leave our neighbor under that law of Love, aware that it will unfold to him the truth of his being and the unreality of the cross he seems to bear. At the same time we fail not to extend to him the kindly human touch which reveals that Love reflected in love. Is not this fulfilling the command, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself"?
No matter, then, how heavy may seem the cross or how long it seems to have been borne, one must keep in sight the diadem which is crowning each step of the way with clearer, fresher views of reality. Through this revealing spiritual understanding, one finds the crown of power and dominion and rejoices in his true being as the reflected glory of God's pure spiritual being, eternally free from the weight of either cross or crown material.
