Article January 2, 1932 ISSUE

To-day

MILDRED VIOLET ALLEN

On page 167 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy writes, "Our proportionate admission of the claims of good or of evil determines the harmony of our existence,—our health, our longevity, and our Christianity."

To-day, let us endeavor to put off the belief of man as limited, discordant, and material, and discern him as God's free, harmonious, and spiritual likeness. Let us accept as present reality the illimitable abundance, the boundless freedom, the radiant joy, the glorious beauty, the immeasurable strength, the unfailing health, the eternal longevity, the perfect harmony that Mind bestows on each one of His ideas.

Is not to-day the time in which to reflect Love to all? In the seventh chapter of Luke's Gospel it is recorded of Jesus that once, as he approached the city of Nain the bier of the only son of a widowed mother was being carried out. It is further recorded that he had compassion on her. Behold the result of his love for a passer-by! The mother's tears vanished before his tender reassurance that all was well; they that carried the bier, which he touched, stood still; as a result of Jesus' clear understanding of the nothingness of death, the young man responded immediately to the command, "Young man, I say unto thee, Arise;" and all glorified God. We may not yet have sufficient understanding to raise the dead as Jesus did, but there are many ways in which to express love to all. Is not to-day a time in which to be grateful for good, even though evil may seem apparent? If one's experience at present seems so discordant as to hide from view one's own blessings, one can still acknowledge with gratitude that others are awakening to receive God's goodness.

A student of Christian Science once seemed unable to cope with the difficulties confronting her. The problem, as well as a great sense of discouragement, seemed insurmountable. One Wednesday it occurred to her that she could be grateful for the good manifested throughout the world as a result of the revelation of Christian Science. Somewhere, she thought, testimonies of healing through Christian Science are being given. Many are lifting their voices in praise to God for light where darkness had appeared to be; for harmony, joy, peace, and love where discord had seemed rampant; for prosperity where poverty had seemed to reign; for health, strength, and freedom. To-day, she thought, the Lesson-Sermon is giving fresh inspiration, courage, joy, and healing to thousands. The Christian Science Monitor is carrying throughout the world good news of progress, of the furtherance of peace plans, of evidences of good will. Many patients are leaving practitioners' offices inspired, comforted, strengthened, healed. The blind are seeing, the lame are walking, the deaf are hearing, the dying are being raised up, to the poor the gospel is being preached. All through the day, when this student found herself giving way to self-pity, she thought gratefully of the good enjoyed by others at that very moment. By evening her problems were seen to be indeed petty, compared with the immensity of good. Was it not natural that healing soon came?

There are many thieves that would prevent our doing to-day's work aright, and thus rob us of its blessings. One of these is undue contemplation of past mistakes. True, mistakes must be rectified; but merely thinking about them, and regretting that they have been made, does not correct them. Let us reverse them, and think, feel, and act in accordance with Principle's rule of perfection. To-day it is our duty and glorious privilege to reflect Life's spontaneity, Love's steadfast tenderness, Truth's justice, Principle's unchanging goodness, Spirit's supremacy, and to obey Mind's unerring guidance.

Another thief is worry about the future. When we realize that God is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever, and trustingly turn to Him for care and guidance, worry disappears. Our Leader admonishes us (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 307), "Never ask for to-morrow: it is enough that divine Love is an ever-present help; and if you wait, never doubting, you will have all you need every moment."

Another thief is procrastination. To-morrow, it argues, there will be more time for us to do serious study and work. But the time comes when, with singleness of purpose, we refuse longer to postpone the performance of our duty in this direction. Then we find time to study and pray; and we reap our reward. Sometimes the argument is presented that we have only a little understanding and cannot work effectively until further growth is attained. The student of mathematics gains understanding by proving each rule as he learns it; and thus only can we gain in understanding of the Science of Life.

Still another thief is the suggestion that the fruit of our work can come into our experience only at some future time. We truly acknowledge God's omnipotence only by refusing to admit that evil can be real for even one moment. God's goodness is ever at hand, awaiting our acceptance. In the words of Isaiah, "Before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear."

Thus we see that to-day is the time in which to awake from the mortal dream of material pain and pleasure to the glorious reality of spiritual being. To-day, in proportion to our obedience to divine Principle, the vision of hoped-for perfection is made manifest in our lives.

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