On page 32 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mary Baker Eddy speaks of "the twilight of a glorious career," referring to the night before the crucifixion of Jesus, when he ate what has been called "the last supper" with his disciples. The words are most impressive, especially when viewed from the modern standpoint of what constitutes successful achievement. What would usually be thought of one who was born in a manger, because there was no room for him and his mother in the near-by inn? Jesus worked as a carpenter. In his early years he lived in a little town called Nazareth, and his special friends were fishermen. From very childhood he was called upon to serve, and to walk the road of life feeling, as he put it, that he must be about his Father's business. That was to him the all-important thing. Yet who understood him?

As time went on, he devoted himself to healing, blessing, and comforting those who were in special need of help; and while he gathered followers about him, he came continuously under the jealousy, misunderstanding, and persecution of the materially-minded. Maligned, tortured, forsaken, and crucified, he finally was laid in a sepulcher hewn of stone. Of all those he had redeemed and saved from sin and suffering, only a small group stood by grieving. Could this be called "a glorious career"? the proverbial man in the street might ask.

Let us look at Jesus' career and see what made it so glorious. First of all, this messenger of God expressed the healing power of impartial, universal Love throughout his brief human history. Place, position, personal authority, meant nothing to this true man among men. He beheld in others what he knew he was himself, a son of God, hence expressing good and perfect spiritual being. He was conscious of good alone as real, so that he never admitted evil to be anything at all but a presentation of unreal conditions, which had no place in God's true and harmonious creation.

Thus he was able to forgive sin, even in those who persecuted him. He healed the sick, and raised those who, through the belief of life in matter, had experienced death. Every instant he was obedient to the higher sense of Life as Spirit; and he knew no other guidance or wisdom than that of the Father, God. Thus he was indeed as a shining light in the world. Love, faithfulness, patience, compassion without measure, loyalty to Truth—these were some of the qualities which made for Jesus a glorious career above all other careers. He proved the triumph of righteous knowing and living, and ultimate resurrection out of the darkness and deception of mortal existence into the light of spiritual Truth and Life eternal.

Mrs. Eddy, whose writings throw light on his teachings and his career, says that "he won eternal honors" (Science and Health, p. 39). Unquestionably, he knew all the way along that he represented the Christ, and so he pointed the way for all to understand and follow. Such following, however, must be according to his example; there is no other. This is the way of obedience to the divine Principle, Love, patience with the faults and mistakes of others, absolute loyalty—first to God and then to man as the offspring of God; compassionate love, forgiveness even of those who would be enemies, and an utter and unconditional sacrifice of mortal selfhood. Anyone who has proved the value of this course, even in the smallest degree, knows that it is not a path of hardship and defeat, but that out of it are born peace and quiet strength, the positive assurance of never being alone, and this is worth more than anything the world has to offer. Money cannot buy divine blessings, human power cannot demand them, position and place in what the world calls the "seats of the mighty" cannot win them. All real blessings are the gift of God and are gained through recognizing God as present with each one of us, filling all space, controlling His own universe, and inspiring enlightened humanity to carry out the divine will, to manifest divine Love, and to bring forth evidence of that eternal and infinite truth which the spiritually-minded long to know, and knowing, to practice.

God will have all men to be saved from their false beliefs in other gods, for the love of God is impartial and inexhaustible. God in His allness includes His own universe of ideas. "Is there a God beside me?" "Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord." Then is not the thinker, enlightened on the nature of God and of man in the divine image, the rightful instrument in God's hands, whereby the unity and peace of the world must be established? To play a part in bringing this God-bestowed freedom to all mankind is career enough for any individual; and in the glory to be revealed, and then shared, any seeming roughness of the road will be forgotten. Must we not persistently claim our spiritual being and oneness with God, even as Jesus did? To do this requires faith, vision, consecration, and an awakened understanding of the Master's teachings. In the inspirational interpretation of these teachings, as found in the revelation of Christian Science given us by our Leader, there is sufficient enlightenment to bring the truth to every earnest seeker for the Christ-way.

When one has found the right way to the actual kingdom of God, there comes the blessed privilege of helping others to do the same. Christ Jesus' words that shall not pass away are still saying to listening ears, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me," through the realization of Christ, Truth, as ever present. Through this uplifted consciousness one learns the joy of overcoming, the satisfaction of being true to one's highest sense of right, and the supreme gratification of having fought a good fight. This is surely the secret of a truly victorious career, not known to the casual onlooker, who may think it to be one of needless sacrifice, but known to God and His faithful witnesses, who thus win the reward of the treasured promises made to those who overcome.

It is good to recall another message of the Master, namely, "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger." Does not this assertion tend to give an illuminating significance to the familiar words, "Give us this day our daily bread"? With Christ as the all-sufficient daily bread, the glorious career of the triumphant Man of Galilee may be ultimately reflected in the lives of all his sincere followers; and this, for the final redemption of the world.