Article August 27, 1990 Issue

Selfless love, unity, and immunity

Immunity from evil. Is such a thing possible? And, if so, what must we do?

Barbara Cook

"To day shalt thou be with me in paradise." Thought-provoking words of Scripture, these, and not often quoted. But when they came to mind one day, and I discovered they were the words Jesus had spoken on the cross to one of the thieves crucified with him (even at that amazing moment the Master was thinking of someone other than himself!), they were suddenly on fire with a message of selfless love.

However serious a personal crisis, the words seemed to say, the way to freedom is to forget the mortal view of oneself and to remember that the saving Principle in whose hand we would place our own is immortal Love, God, whose care is bestowed equally on all. Divine Love's infinite lessons, therefore, include the fact that our spiritual progress is no private triumph but an illustration of everyone's true nature as the spiritual expression of God.

How practical is this point of view? Actually, it is provable that we're individually strengthened, more able to persist and to feel a deeper joy in our prayers, when we go beyond praying merely for ourselves. This truth forces us to face the fact that hopelessness and frustration in working out personal difficulties may often stem from a too self-centered motive. "Self-sacrifice is the highway to heaven," Mrs. Eddy writes in her book No and Yes. It is through self-sacrifice that we illustrate—and through selfless love that we demonstrate—our unity with divine Love in the infinite family of Love.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

Selfless love, unity, and immunity

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access