Editorial September 28, 1929 Issue

"Undo the heavy burdens"

Violet Ker Seymer

True fasting, in other words, abstention from false thinking, coupled with the activity of good works, is thus spoken of by Isaiah: "Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?" Through the compassionate ministry of Christian Science sickness is being healed, not endured; sorrow is banished, not nursed; and burdens are laid down, not borne.

The first step towards laying off one's burden is the intelligent analysis of its character and its legitimacy. Is the burden which we are carrying imposed by God? Is it imposed upon us through some individual? Is it self-imposed through fear and self-deception? Or does it seem to be imposed upon us by circumstances, or by a so-called poor constitution? The mistake of looking upon our burdens as imposed by God is summarily disposed of in Jeremiah's statement, "And the burden of the Lord shall ye mention no more: for every man's word shall be his burden." The fact that one's own words sometimes emphasize one's burden points to the necessity of rising above all self-pity and shaking off the ingrained habit of voicing discord.

Christian Science opens the eyes of sufferers to the fact that divine Love never has imposed burdens upon humanity; therefore it is our reflection of divine Love which alone can lift them. It is through substituting spiritual enlightenment for mortal self-deception that Christian Science lifts all the burdens of false belief, and their consequences. Whoever understands even in a measure that God, divine Love, is allmerciful and all-powerful, cease to believe that his problem is the effect of the divine will or of spiritual law.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Editorial

Steadfast Trust in God