Article August 19, 1967 Issue

The Antidote for Pressure

JEANNE STEELY LAITNER

Much is currently said and written about the pressure of living in the environment of today's world. What appears to be an ever-increasing tempo of education, business, traffic, travel, competition, and many and varied activities would claim to exert pressure upon the individual. The teachings of Christ Jesus and those of his faithful follower, Mary Baker Eddy, regarding the nature of God and of man's reflection of Him, offer healing release and freedom from human pressure and its attendant physical and emotional ills.

What does the term "reflection" mean as it is used in Christian Science? Reflection describes the nature of man's relationship to God. One illustration of this relationship used by Mrs. Eddy is that of reflection in a mirror, which accurately images the object in front of it. So man, the image and likeness of God, precisely reflects the nature of God, his original and only cause and creator. The real man, the only genuine selfhood of each individual, reflects the qualities, although not the quantity, of God.

Jesus was pointing out to his followers the inherent character of reflection when he said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." ^{John 5:19;} The reflection cannot do anything or include anything unlike the original.