The Single Eye

[Original article in German]

MARGARETE KÜNDINGER

In studying the narrative, in Genesis, of the flood and Noah's deliverance, the attention of a student of Christian Science was arrested by a passage which proved to be a great help to him. On reading the description of the flood, the increasing of the waters, the picture of devastation and horror, the student was distressed by the thought that it must have been dreadful for Noah to look upon all this misery, and to witness the distress of the others, while he himself was saved; may not this have robbed him of the joy at his own deliverance?

On studying the narrative more closely the student understood why it was possible for Noah to be untouched in the midst of the turmoil. According to God's command the ark had only one window, and this window looked upwards. Since the ark floated on the waters, the destruction might not be seen from this one window. Even though Noah seemed surrounded by destruction, the ark sheltered him and his relatives, concealing from him the whole picture of destruction and misery. By implicit obedience to the injunctions of divine intelligence Noah brought about physical and mental deliverance.

Jesus once said to his followers: "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" What did Jesus indicate by this comparison? May it not mean that the "window" of our consciousness must look upward? Jesus knew that only the thought which is dwelling in God can reflect light, while the thought directed towards matter dwells in darkness, and does not see the light.

Our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, writes on page 262 of the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures": "We cannot fathom the nature and quality of God's creation by diving into the shallows of mortal belief. We must reverse our feeble flutterings—our efforts to find life and truth in matter—and rise above the testimony of the material senses, above the mortal to the immortal idea of God."

Christian Science offers the solution to all our problems as we are obedient in applying and practicing its teachings. It is only as we plant ourselves on a spiritual foundation and reason from the basis of spiritual creation that we can see ourselves as in reality dwelling in God, perfect and indestructible. Then mortal fears and cares, which often seem to surround us like surging waters, will no longer be able to disturb our peace.

With the eye that sees both good and evil, that is, in the case of one looking for good and evil, believing in joy and sorrow, and so admitting that mortal concepts are real and legitimate, it is just the reverse. Such a one will be overtaken by the darkness of erroneous thinking, thinking separated from God, and must suffer the consequences of mental darkness.

Jesus did not acknowledge evil to be real or created by God; hence he eliminated it quickly and surely. The Christian Scientist who perceives destruction, sickness, and death, and who may even seem frequently to be surrounded by them, is not terrified by their arrogant claims, because he acknowledges and clings to God's ever-presence and to the omnipotence of good. It is not necessary for him to be painfully affected by sense-testimony, because by understanding the love of God he is cognizant of and is expecting peace and healing.

Like Noah the Christian Scientist should erect the ark in his consciousness. In the first paragraph of the metaphysical definition of "ark" in the Glossary of the textbook (p. 581), we read: "Safety; the idea, or reflection, of Truth, proved to be as immortal as its Principle; the understanding of Spirit, destroying belief in matter." Our inspired Leader recognized that the indispensable ark is a divine state of consciousness which must be had by every individual. Christian Scientists should comply with the demands of Truth. Even though momentarily there does not seem to be any special need for protection, the spiritual erection of our ark should be commenced and carefully carried out. This ark, too, should have only one window, looking out on divine creation or reality. How peacefully the Christian Scientist can then dwell, in times of distress and sorrow, in his ark, assured of his inseparable unity with God! Even with mortal waters raging around him his consciousness will dwell unharmed in the understanding and peace of infinite divine Love!

On page 306 of Science and Health we read: "The myriad forms of mortal thought, made manifest as matter, are not more distinct nor real to the material senses than are the Soul-created forms to spiritual sense, which cognizes Life as permanent. Undisturbed amid the jarring testimony of the material senses, Science, still enthroned, is unfolding to mortals the immutable, harmonious, divine Principle,—is unfolding Life and the universe, ever present and eternal."

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