How Christians love Christmas! This cherished holiday commemorates the appearing of Christ, the true idea of manhood, in a manner visible to all the world. Christ saves mankind from all evil, including sin, sickness, and death.
Although the appearing of Christ through Jesus was a one-time occurrence, Christian Science reveals that the advent of Christ is going on continuously. It is occurring quietly in individual human thought. The Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, defines "Christ" in the Glossary of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures as "the divine manifestation of God, which comes to the flesh to destroy incarnate error."Science and Health, p. 583. Since Christ is the true nature of every single individual, it is destined to appear fully to all mankind.
The coming to light of Christ in human consciousness is the revelation of God as perfect Spirit and of man as God's offspring, spiritual and eternal; the revelation of the true idea of sonship. It is the appearing to human thought of the precious Christly qualities that point to real manhood—qualities such as meekness, humility, charity, purity, peace, unselfishness, forgiveness, love of spiritual things, and consecration to spiritual healing. These God-derived qualities characterized Jesus' life and works and enabled him to heal. Christliness, welcomed in the receptive consciousness of each individual in every age, purifies, spiritualizes, and saves from evil. A much-loved Christmas hymn explains, "Where meekness will receive him, still/The dear Christ enters in."Christian Science Hymnal, No. 222.
