Editorial November 14, 1994 Issue

The vital force of spirituality

Barbara M. Vining

There is something very appealing about the spirituality so vividly exemplified in the life of Christ Jesus. The thirsty heart, when it contemplates the patience, purity, and unselfed love Jesus expressed, is enlivened with new hope and vigor, much as a drooping plant is affected by a much-needed drink of water. It responds this way because, as Mary Baker Eddy says in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, "The poor suffering heart needs its rightful nutriment, such as peace, patience in tribulation, and a priceless sense of the dear Father's loving-kindness" (pp. 365–366). The vital force of true spirituality supplies this nutriment.

True spirituality is not corporeal. It is not materially inherited or some form of ethereal matter descending into a mortal personality. Neither does it have anything to do with electrical forces or any other material phenomena. Spirituality does not operate in and through a material body. Nor is it merely a fondness for contemplating spiritual ideas. Spirituality, as Jesus proved, is man's incorporeal, immortal substance and individuality as the offspring of God, infinite Spirit—independent of matter and unaffected by it. Spirituality triumphs over human frailty and sinfulness. When acknowledged and yielded to as one's true being, it enables an individual to recognize and overcome his human faults, put the welfare of others above his own, hold fast to the highest right in the face of the most blatant wrong, find and inspire goodness and purity in others, forgive where forgiveness is called for, relieve suffering, and heal disease—all through the power of divine Spirit.

Jesus' spirituality certainly was drawn from his divine source, our heavenly Father and Mother, God, who is divine Life, Truth, and Love, and so is ours. Divine Love is the vital force of spirituality—the power that lives and goes on living, and gives life to all true being. The qualities we associate with spirituality are not just fine human qualities; they are derived from God, and they have no capacity to live apart from Him. So in order to cultivate our own spirituality, we recognize it as the expression of our unity with God, and humbly yield to His government in thought and deed as Jesus did. Then our spirituality will bear fruit; it will nourish and enliven us and others with the vitality of Life and Love.

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