Celebrating Christmas

Duncan Sinclair

At Christmas time we naturally turn to the contemplation of peace, and lovingly in our thoughts we honor him who did more to further it than any other who has lived on earth—Christ Jesus. We remember the manner of the Saviour's birth, and hear again the words of "the heavenly host praising God": "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." We remember also his words to his disciples, when he was nearing the end of his earthly career, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you," and his promise to send the Comforter—the spirit of Truth—after he had left them. A host of thoughts companion us at Christmas, circling round him who was born of Mary in Bethlehem.

While the Christian Scientist at this season of the year thinks of the birth of Jesus and of the peace and good will he brought to men, he goes farther—he allows his thoughts to dwell on that which inspired the Master and empowered him not only to give his message of love to the world, but also to demonstrate the truth which that message conveyed. Jesus was a man, in bodily form like ourselves. He grew from to manhood after the manner of mankind. He "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet," as the author of the book of Hebrews says, "without sin." And this great accomplishment was rendered possible by his understanding of the Christ, of man's eternal sonship with God as the idea of God. So clear was his conviction of the indissoluble union between God and man that Christ Jesus understood himself to be the promised Messiah, who should enlighten men on the true nature of God and their real spiritual selfhood, and thus be their Saviour.

When, then, the Christian Scientist thinks of Christmas, he does not allow his thoughts to dwell exclusively on the Bethlehem babe, although he has inexpressibly tender regard for the holy child. His understanding goes far beyond what unenlightened personal sense would have him linger upon; it reaches even to the transcendent fact which the life of Jesus demonstrated, namely, that in him Truth was made manifest—revealed—and that through him divine Love broke gloriously "upon the gloom of matter and evil," showing them to be powerless before his marvelous understanding of the Christ, the spiritual idea of God. In one of the most beautiful passages in all her writings, on page 262 of "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany," Mrs. Eddy states in part the manner of her celebration of Christmas in these words: "I celebrate Christmas with my soul, my spiritual sense, and so commemorate the entrance into human understanding of the Christ conceived of Spirit, of God and not of a woman—as the birth of Truth, the dawn of divine Love breaking upon the gloom of matter and evil with the glory of infinite being." How exquisitely her words picture the coming of the Christ! And it is this coming of the Christ to human consciousness which Christian Scientists at Christmas, as at all times, would celebrate.

Christ Jesus is humanity's great Exemplar. What he did men may do, but only as they possess the understanding of the Christ he possessed. That is to say, as men possess the Christ-spirit they can destroy whatever is unlike good, whatever is evil. All manner of inharmony—fear, sin, disease, sorrow, lack—vanishes before this understanding. As the spiritual idea of Truth possesses our consciousness, we rise triumphantly above material beliefs and overcome them. The Christ-spirit empowered Jesus, the master Metaphysician, to do these things; and more, it enabled him ultimately to overcome death and the grave.

The world today is in a turmoil, from some points of view a greater turmoil than ever it has been in before. Everywhere men are struggling for greater freedom, a greater degree of happiness, a greater measure of peace and of the assurance of continued peace. And in the struggle we see fear and dismay side by side with understanding and a genuine measure of comfort. How is this? The reason may be inferred from Mrs. Eddy's words on page 96 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." She writes: "This material world is even now becoming the arena for conflicting forces. On one side there will be discord and dismay; on the other side there will be Science and peace." It is Science—Christian Science —more than any other agency in the world that is bringing peace to the hearts and lives of men today. It is the Christ-idea, which Christian Science reveals, that is destroying fear, overcoming discord, routing dismay, and ushering in "the peace of God, which passeth all understanding."

May we celebrate Christmas with our spiritual sense. May we rejoice, even as Jesus rejoiced, in the Christ, which brings to human consciousness the truth of Truth, the love of Love, thus "breaking upon the gloom of matter and evil with the glory of infinite being," and making straight the way of salvation for all men from all error.

Duncan Sinclair

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The Master's Mission

December 17, 1932

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