Articles

The joy of being a Christian Scientist rests on the joy that is born through the worship of God. The Christian works of victory over sin, disease, and death are surely great cause for rejoicing.

A cause is that which produces an effect. The Cause of Christian Science certainly produces lasting and profound effects on its adherents— the effects of regeneration, spiritualization of thought, healing.

The Cross and Crown seal on Mary Baker Eddy's writings and the Christian Science periodicals reminds Christian Scientists the cross is necessary on their way to attaining the crown of salvation. Before heaven can be realized, that harmonious state of being which Christ Jesus said is not a place "here" or "there" but "within" man ( Luke 17:20, 21 ), mortal mind's resistance to spirituality must—and can—be overcome.

When our children were very young, they used to tease each other unmercifully—much to my dismay. Often, one would try to get the other to accept some incredibly tall tale.

Sometimes we are too inclined to accept an incomplete sense of what we are. Loneliness, discordant memories, waves of fear, feelings of inadequacy, may break in upon our thinking and rob us of the normal dominion that is our birthright as sons and daughters of God.

God is magnificent! And He expresses His magnificence through us, His cherished offspring. Christ, Truth, reveals this precious message to every one of us continuously.

Nothing is more basic to Christianity than the culmination of Christ Jesus' ministry in his resurrection. Sorrowing onlookers had seen Jesus crucified and laid in an earthly tomb sealed with a rock.

I have realized the practice is not confined to how much time one spends in a given place, office or home, or how many hours one sits by the telephone waiting for a call. Without the true sense of availability, one could sit by the phone for hours and not hear it ring.

Most of the stereotypes that people (including some Christian Scientists!) have of practitioners probably don't have much more relationship to reality than any other stereotypes. For instance, if we picture Christian Science practitioners as living utterly serene lives, we may be surprised to learn that many have young children.

The spiritual growth that comes naturally as we study, pray, and prepare for a term as Reader in a branch Church of Christ, Scientist, opens our hearts to the love of God. As we respond to this love, we discover we love ourselves, our church, congregation, and world more.