Article March 27, 1915 Issue

Desire

CHARLOTTE PAULSEN

Holy desire is of God, and to human sense it reaches fulfilment as spiritual truth appears in its progressive stages of unfoldment. Historically, the desire for the appearance of the Christ or spiritual idea reached the zenith of expectancy two thousand years ago. It found expression in the one who shared, with all other Jewish maidens, the hope of a glorious motherhood. Mary's desire was so pure that she clearly perceived God as Father. It was so unadulterated by any personal sense of her relation to God that she was the transparency for a more spiritual ideal to appear to humanity. True aspiration, free from mortal ambition, exalted Mary's human sense of the experience into a pure consciousness of its divine import; she was therefore unashamed to give expression to her promised joy. Spiritual exaltation, in which her soul did "magnify the Lord," lifted her thought so far above the pride and injury to self-love which, tempting Joseph, would have judged her an offender, that her song of praise was unrestrained and her vision of purity undimmed.

Mrs. Eddy tells us that "no loss can occur from trusting God with our desires, that they may be molded and exalted before they take form in words and in deeds" (Science and Health, p. 1). Does it not help us to know that right desire, whose virtue lies in its at-one-ment with divine will, is above contamination from evil suggestion, above condemnation of unholiness? Its being is the offspring of divine Mind, and its outward expression is a divine impulsion. Constant and compelling in its love, it wins its own respect and right of way. Having its motive in God, it can suffer no perversion or misinterpretation. Such a divine aspiration as that which links man to his Maker, is a quality of Mind so unmistakable that it would be impossible to counterfeit it or name it ambition, for it bears the stamp of His approval. Confidence is not then placed where it can be misplaced. The message is not carried by that which can miscarry, nor can God's purpose fail of fulfilment.

Spiritual aspiration is an emanation from infinite Mind. It establishes the immediateness of cooperation between Principle and idea. It constitutes the substance of spiritual relationship and provides all good. It is known by that serene content, that perfect poise and hopeful trust which holds no sense of anxious fear, while ambition casts a shadow, or elbows, and envies its own mistrust of what it cannot comprehend. Spiritual aspiration looks up and sees the divine intention to bless mankind. Worldly ambition can see no higher than its own finite personal sense; it has no vision to inspire, no gleam to follow. Erring, it believes error and would fain attack its own offense, that it may hide in barren soil its own unhallowed aim. Stripped of honesty and truth, its wanton nakedness brings shame.

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