Happiness

JANET MC CORMICK-GOODHART

All people seek happiness. Many may think they have found it, before they have awakened to what constitutes true happiness. The student of Christian Science has a legitimate claim to happiness, for he is learning to recognize his true identity as a child of God, reflecting those spiritual qualities that make for happiness, such as kindness, purity, intelligence, and so forth. Whether he meets with difficulties or expresses joyous well-being, the Christian Scientist turns from the mortal dream of existence as material to the truth of his spiritual unity with divine Principle, Love. His experience is replete with progressive attainment. His spiritual unfoldment is taking place, and he is rising and helping others to rise into the demonstration of that state of spiritual consciousness which he knows is real, and wherein is to be found the only true happiness.

In her Message to The Mother Church for 1902 our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, writes (p. 17), "Happiness consists in being and in doing good; only what God gives, and what we give ourselves and others through His tenure,confers happiness: conscious worth satisfies the hungry heart, and nothing else can." The one hundred and twenty-eighth Psalm begins: "Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways. ... Happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee."

He who studies understandingly "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, together with the Bible, is necessarily tasting of true happiness. A new view of the universe is appearing, and he finds the universe filled with love and peace. With this unfoldment of good there comes a deep desire to share with others what he is learning of the spiritual facts of being. Mrs. Eddy writes (Science and Health, p. 57): "Happiness is spiritual, born of Truth and Love. It is unselfish; therefore it cannot exist alone, but requires all mankind to share it."

As workers in the Master's vineyard, we must prayerfully endeavor to express and preserve Christian fellowship. The brotherhood of man is a fact that needs patient proving. Harmonious relationships must be based on the understanding of God and good will toward men, love of God and man. When any step is taken prayerfully, with a deep desire that God's will be done, a sweeter unity in the high purpose to serve God finds expression. Faithful acknowledgment of God's government, gratitude for the teachings of Christ Jesus and Christian Science, and faithfulness in the study and practice of these teachings are laying the cornerstone of spiritual building. Thus the student, moving steadily forward in demonstration of his sonship with God, will not be deceived by a false sense of happiness. Looking to the realm of absolute Truth, he will find happiness in spiritual attainment.

After the resurrection, Mary was enabled to accept the message of Love's triumph over hate. What infinite tenderness and glory must have been revealed in that moment when her eyes were opened to recognition of the Master! But Christ Jesus, watching as always to express healing wisdom and love, did not permit her to rest content at this point of the triumph of Life over death. Gently he lifted her thought above matter, and pointed to the state of perfect spiritual being as the goal of reality. He said, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father." So we must not be concerned with mere personality, which is but the counterfeit of the real individuality. True joy and true individuality go hand in hand. How careful the followers of Christ Jesus must be to accept only the true, and not be deceived by the false!

And we, as Christian Scientists, should daily exchange a material concept of happiness for the spiritual fact of our oneness with God. Thus shall we find the healing light of Love, and help to draw mankind to its haven of hope, rest, and fulfillment. Putting God first, we find our joy secure forever.

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