Divine Life

SUZANNE PASCHE

When the Christian Scientist glances backward with a song of gratitude to God in his heart, he sees the road he has traveled, and remembers the distress he went through when, in the midst of a tumultuous worldly life, nothing gave any hope of deliverance; he recalls how his pursuit of happiness was vain and deceptive until the day when a faint light appeared, very faint at first and seemingly very far away, but full of promise.

Whence came the light? Perhaps it shone in the smile of a friend he had formerly known as ill and discouraged, and had later seen full of life and animation; and he had wished to know the cause of this transformation. Then began the long journey, similar to that undertaken by the children of Israel leaving Egypt, and leading from sense to Soul through regenerating thought.

How many discoveries one had to make on this journey, not only in the outside world, but also in one's self, even in one's own consciousness! How many false beliefs had to be abandoned; how many cherished selfish habits had to be conquered! Little by little, efforts were crowned with success, and Truth appeared; the light dawned and, becoming ever clearer, revealed unknown beauties; false beliefs vanished, and the reality of indestructible and perfect existence was brought to light. True Life—the only Life—had begun to appear, the Life of which Mrs. Eddy speaks on page 14 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," when she says, "Entirely separate from the belief and dream of material living, is the Life divine, revealing spiritual understanding and the consciousness of man's dominion over the whole earth."

Meditating even a little on these words, "entirely separate," we cannot fail to be impressed with the clearness of their affirmation, which leaves no room for doubt on the point. Divine Life and mortal living are forever separate the one from the other: one is real; the other is illusion, a dream of which we seem to be a part, but from which we can awaken in the twinkling of an eye. By understanding our true identity, by entering into possession of the divine consciousness wherein all is pure and good, the false sense of personality gives place to God's ideas, all of which we can love with impartial love. Our Leader says (ibid., p. 230), "This awakening is the forever coming of Christ, the advanced appearing of Truth, which casts out error and heals the sick."

Christ Jesus said, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Through Christian Science we are entering through the new birth into real Life, in which death has no place. If we abide in this consciousness, we cannot suffer from sadness or pain, nor can we find enjoyment in so-called material pleasures; but we will experience indescribable peace and joy through understanding that all true happiness is ours forever, since it is real and indestructible.

Will this new life, partaken of by those who understand divine Principle, the Life of all, be merely a human ecstatic state? No! It will be a continuous divine activity through which the limitless capacity of spiritual man is made manifest, and by which the divinely created man shall express the qualities he has inherited as a child of God, such as goodness, patience, wisdom, love, and compassion. Thus mankind will become better as the demonstration of the Christ, Truth, is made through the continuous and joyous consciousness of spiritual understanding to love and heal.

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