Article June 2, 1956 Issue

PREPARATION

IRIS V. ZEA

Jesus' human life was one of constant preparation for his demonstration of life eternal. Mary Baker Eddy says in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 166): "This spiritual idea, or Christ, entered into the minutiae of the life of the personal Jesus. It made him an honest man, a good carpenter, and a good man, before it could make him the glorified." Jesus shared with us his sublime understanding of God's allness, when, in the inspiring words of the Lord's Prayer, he said (Matt. 6: 13), "Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever." There is no other kingdom, no other power, no other glory.

The thoughts we entertain prepare the way for sickness or health, happiness or misery, in our individual experience. Let us then strive to uproot from consciousness the weeds of pride, self-will, fear, resentment, lack, criticism. And let us welcome only the flowers of unselfed love, patience, tenderness, forgiveness. Let "the answer of the tongue" be from God. Thus we truly prepare for the coming to light in consciousness of the ever-present Christ and its outward expression of love and harmony in our homes and in our churches. This illumination reveals the peace and healing of infinite Love.

God looks at all of His ideas now, this very moment, and sees them as He made them, wholly spiritual, expressing the beauty of His holiness. His image is not blurred. God loves us too much to allow us to express anything less than Himself. Indeed there is nothing less to express. Sin and sickness, then, are not within us at all. They never were. Only God's perfect kingdom is within us now and always. "The preparations of the heart" reveal this kingdom.

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