Article February 4, 1956 Issue

"PERFECTION IS NORMAL"

DOUGLAS C. HAUSCH

In order to be absolutely normal one must express perfection in every thought and deed. Mary Baker Eddy says in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 104), "According to Christian Science, perfection is normal,—not miraculous." To mortal sense this seems to be a radical statement; but if we are to make progress toward our goal of emulating the works and life of Christ Jesus, we must keep the idea of perfection foremost in thought. This we cannot do unless we learn to listen to God and to follow the leading of spiritual sense. Watching our thought and conversation is one of the first steps to be taken toward demonstrating perfection.

One who consistently expresses such qualities as humility, integrity, peace, faith, and love is overcoming negative, imperfect conceptions and is obeying the positive command Christ Jesus gave when he said (Matt. 5:48), "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

Suggestions to accept less than perfection besiege us on every side. We are tempted to compromise and to excuse ourselves by thinking that we have not time now, that we have not the understanding now, or that perfection is too much to expect. All of these false suggestions originate in the assumption that we, as mortals, must accomplish perfection as defined by the physical senses. There is no perfection in matter, for there is nothing therein on which to build perfection. Therefore, since the physical senses can discern nothing but materiality, they cannot be relied upon to detect or describe perfection. The mortal concept of perfection must be displaced by a realization that only the spiritual universe, including man, created by God, Mind, is now and eternally perfect.

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