Article May 3, 1947 Issue

Spiritual Reflection

CLIFFORD A. WOODARD

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all" (I John 1:5). Thus John in his first epistle sums up the teachings of Christ Jesus. John uses the word "light" in a spiritual sense, as does our Leader. Mary Baker Eddy, when she writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 511), "In divine Science, which is the seal of Deity and has the impress of heaven, God is revealed as infinite light." Many years ago the Psalmist referred to God symbolically as "a sun and shield" (Ps. 84:11). As light emanating from the sun is reflected throughout our universe, so spiritual qualities emanating from God are reflected in the spiritual universe, including man. The real man reflects the divine nature perfectly, in all its glory.

Oftentimes we present only a very dim reflection, often badly blurred and distorted. Comparing the Master's reflection of God's qualities with that of other men, Mrs. Eddy writes as follows (Science and Health, p. 259): "The divine nature was best expressed in Christ Jesus, who threw upon mortals the truer reflection of God and lifted their lives higher than their poor thought-models would allow,—thoughts which presented man as fallen, sick, sinning, and dying." As followers of the Master, we should endeavor to make our reflection of God truer and more glorious.

Our Leader gives the scientific statement of reflection in these words (ibid., p. 503): "Immortal and divine Mind presents the idea of God: first, in light; second, in reflection; third, in spiritual and immortal forms of beauty and goodness." Then individual man in his true identity is a spiritual and immortal form of beauty and goodness by reason of his reflection of the light of divine Mind.