MANY SINCERE THINKERS and observers of the human condition have noted that the most important things about us are intangible—that is, beyond what the eye can observe.

Eventually, it will dawn on everyone that what matters most are the spiritual qualities we can perceive in one another. These qualities represent the eternal nature of each one of us. And among the most endearing and enduring of these are faith and trust in God, particularly needed during difficult times of prayer and searching for an enlarged view of life.

When we first meet someone, we generally identify him or her by physical attributes. Asked to describe a new acquaintance, we might say something about that person's height, weight, skin color, hair, and eyes. Yet as we get to know that individual better, the descriptions begin to change. We start to include some of those intangible yet more permanent attributes, such as kindness, a sense of humor, graciousness, willingness to help others. Qualities like those come to light through a deeper appreciation of individual character. They reveal the more infinite, eternal nature of our own existence, and of our abiding relationship to one an other as children of God.

Sentinel founder Mary Baker Eddy spent much of her adult life pursuing this understanding in a conscientious search for a more spiritual view of humanity. Her Bible-based research and study proved to her that this view of man—of the divine idea, both male and female, that God creates—has a powerful healing effect on oneself and on others. "A material human likeness," Mrs. Eddy wrote, "is the antipode of man in the image and likeness of God. Hence, a finite person is not the model for a metaphysician." She went on to advise Christian Scientists "to remove from their observation of study the personal sense of any one, and not to dwell in thought upon their own or others' corporeality, either as good or evil.

"According to Christian Science, material personality is an error in premise, and must result in erroneous conculsions. All will agree with me that material portraiture often fails to express even mortal man, and this declares its unfitness for fable or fact to build upon.

"... He advances most in divine Science who meditates most on infinite spiritual substance and intelligence. Experience proves this true" (Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, pp. 308–309).

A growing sense of someone's eternal qualities implies much more than discerning a spiritual identity that comes into existence after human life is over. Our eternal qualities, coming directly from our source in the divine Mind's apprehension of us, have always been the facts of our existence. We've always been the complete expression of God, including all of these spiritual qualities, and they have existed throughout all eternity. When we strive to identify ourselves and others spiritually, we're looking into each other's divine reality. In so doing, we deepen our faith—"the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb. 11:1).

Jesus offered a wonderful view of his preexistent and eternal relationship with God when he said, "Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58). And Mrs. Eddy saw the connection between this insight and his marvelous healing works: "The meek Nazarene's steadfast and true knowledge of preexistence, of the nature and the inseparability of God and man,—made him mighty. Spiritual insight of Truth and Love antidotes and destroys the errors of flesh, and brings to light the true reflection: man as God's image, or 'the first man,' for Christ plainly declared, through Jesus, 'Before Abraham was, I am'" (Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, p. 189).

One of the severest tests of our faith in these facts—of holding firmly to the indestructible spiritual qualities that make us who we really are—can come with the passing of a loved one. When my wife suddenly passed on, I felt all the shock and grief that such a separation occasions. Even the many wonderful memories of our happy times together seemed to be just sad reminders of my loss. But when I was able to start turning my thoughts from my own sense of loss, to trying to see who and where my wife actually was, I started to gain renewed glimpses of the eternal qualities that I so loved about her. I came to see that the fullness of her life was intact, and that my love for her was simply a reflection of the love that God was expressing for His own precious and delightful creation.

The faith that my wife and I shared in man's immortal nature led me to see that our relationship was continuing to grow and expand. Memories once again became sweet reminders of this continuing, living relationship. With the knowledge that both of us would keep on growing in our own unique ways, I gained freedom from the grief and felt free to continue expanding my own adventure of living in God, within the genuine vibrancy of divine Life.

This vibrant living includes an ever enlarging sense of companionship. The Psalmist saw the eternal quality of such companionship when he wrote, "God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains" (Ps. 68:6). When we're unbound from the chains of mortality, we can go on to discover a larger sphere of companionship, one that includes all the love and joy we've ever had, and that's freer from human life's grief and guilt. We become more open to new friendships.

Divine good has graciously set me in a wonderfully expanded family, one that includes both immediate family members as well as new relationships. My Christian Science healing practice also has been a lovely means of advancing this expanded concept of true companionship.

We may feel deep compassion for someone who's going through a trial of faith, and that's an essential form of loving support. But I've learned that the greatest gift and supreme help we can offer at such a time is to faithfully assert in our prayers the fact that all the good qualities of those we love are fully intact and immortal. This truly helps the one suffering from loss to discern the enduring and expanding relationship that goes on eternally between those who love one another.

I wouldn't claim to have totally reached the point of advancement that Mrs. Eddy described when she wrote, "Advancing spiritual steps in the teeming universe of Mind [God] lead on to spiritual spheres and exalted beings" (Science and Health, p. 513). But my own trials of faith have caused me to look deeper at life's spiritual reality and become more a part of it, rather than withdraw from it. I'm more certain than ever that those "advancing spiritual steps" will continue to propel a more visionary faith, and more enriched ways to live it for mankind's benefit. |CSS