Getting Mary out of the way

MARY M. HAMILTON

Some of us may be inclined to be self-condemnatory. We may have learned to think of ourselves as weak mortals—or worse, as sinners. Perhaps we have held to the erroneous concept that only Jesus was and is the Son of God. Gloriously, Christian Science opens our eyes to the teaching in the Bible, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God."^{I John 3:2;}

But this "we," Science explains, is our real, eternal, spiritual identity, the sons and daughters of God. It is not the human or the mortal we seem to be. Not the one with a long, sad human history or present difficulties. Our real identity, one with God forever, reflects the power and love and genuine goodness and wholeness of God.

It is helpful to ponder Christ Jesus' words, "I can of mine own self do nothing."^{John 5:30;} On another memorable occasion, when addressed as "good Master," he responded, "Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God."^{Matt. 19:16, 17;} Jesus was certainly not self-aggrandizing. He was humble before God, knowing that God was the source of goodness. We can be healed of self-condemnation by perceiving our true identity and the source of our being.