METAPHYSICAL MEETING, August 16, 2010

Topic

The Christ in each of us

Call to the meeting

At our last metaphysical meeting, one of our church members shared with us the short story of “The Bishop’s Gift.” We were all inspired with the idea, “The Messiah is one of us.” We decided to utilize it for our metaphysical meeting on Monday, August 16th.

The Bishop’s Gift

Once a church had fallen on hard times. Only five members were left: the pastor and four others, all over 60 years old. In the mountains near the church there lived a retired Bishop. It occurred to the pastor to ask the Bishop if he could offer any advice that might save the church. The pastor and Bishop spoke at length, but when asked for advice, the Bishop simply responded by saying, “I have no advice to give. The only think I can tell you is that the Messiah is one of you.” The pastor, returning to the church, told the church members what the Bishop had said. In the months that followed, the old church members pondered the words of the Bishop. “The Messiah is one of us?” they each asked themselves. As they thought about this possibility, they all began to treat each other with extraordinary love and respect on the off chance that one among them might be the Messiah. And on the off-off chance that each member himself or herself might be the Messiah, they also began to treat themselves with extraordinary love and care. As time went by, people visiting the church noticed the aura of love, respect, and gentle kindness that surrounded the five old members of the small church. Hardly knowing why, more people began to come back to the church. They began to bring their friends, and their friends brought more friends. Within a few years, the small church had once again become a thriving church, thanks to the Bishop’s gift.

You are invited to prepare answers to this 2-part question for our meeting:

What would you consider to be the implications of “the Christ in each of us” (1) for our church and (2) for our community?

You may want to read Jesus’ parable, Matthew 25: 34-40, the Glossary definition for “Christ” in Science & Health (583:10), and hymn 437 (in the Supplement), Father, Thou art very near us.

We look forward to our sharing of spiritual ideas on this topic.

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Readings

(1) Isa. 60: 1-4
(2) Matt. 26: 31-40
(3) II Cor. 9:15

(1) S&H 583: 10
(2) S&H 333: 3-13
(3) S&H 135: 26-32
(4) S&H 97: 29-3
(5) S&H 288: 27-30
(6) Mis 161: 9-13; 18-2

Hymns:
96: “He stood of old, the holy Christ, Amid the suffering throng”
452: “O Thou unchanging Truth, whose facts eternal give us the courage to outface the storm”
226: “O Lord of life, to Thee we lift Our hearts in praise”
437: “Father, Thou art very near us, Well we know that Thou dost hear us”
297: “Science, the angel with flaming sword, God’s gift, the glory of the risen Lord”

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Member contribution A

A spiritual interpretation of Hymn 412, showing what the Christ does for man:

O dreamer, leave thy dreams for joyful waking,
O captive, rise and sing, for thou art free;
The Christ is here, all dreams of error breaking,

(The Christ is awakening us from the dream of error now)

Unloosing bonds of all captivity.

(giving us freedom)

He comes to bless thee on his wings of healing;

(healing and blessing us)

To banish pain and wipe all tears away;

(to destroy belief in pain and grief)

He comes anew, to humble hearts revealing
The mounting footsteps of the upward way.

(guides us in the upward path)

He comes to give thee joy for desolation,

(gives unlimited joy)

Beauty for ashes of the vanished years;

(reveals timeless, everlasting beauty)

For every year to bring full compensation,

(turns error to goodness)

To give thee confidence for all thy fears.

(removes all fear and restores trust in God)

He comes to call the dumb to joyful singing;
The deaf to hear; the blinded eyes to see;

(activates complete spiritual sense)

The glorious tidings of salvation bringing.
O captive, rise, thy Savior comes to thee.

(The Christ saves us from all the beliefs of matter
and mortal mind, and awakens us to our spiritual identities)


Other thoughts:

How would we treat the Christ?

No criticism
No impatience
Gratitude and praise
Love
Wanting to help and serve
In humility ask the way
Fearlessly

How would the community react to the Christ?

Attraction to good
Feeling the love
Acknowledging healing
Joy
Welcoming
Awakening

Treat all in a Christly manner as the Christ.

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Member contribution B

Received by email:

I can't be at the meeting tonight, but I'm reading the August 16th Sentinel here at the office at lunch. Please note the wonderful article called “Worship in the Church of Spirit” by evan Mehlenbacher on page 8. It's a really great thought of what we can all bring to church when we come.

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Member contribution C

What would you consider to be the implications of “the Christ in each of us”?

1) For our church:

Christ is the head of our church and we each, in Truth, reflect this head authority or Mind “which was also in Christ Jesus.”  There is no other mind or intelligence giving force to thought and action.  There can be no misinterpretation, misunderstanding, or misperception of divine Mind’s demands and divine Love’s promises with regard to recognizing and demonstrating our purpose as church members.  Each of us already has “the spirit which is of God” to illumine our sense of existence with the radiance of Truth, Life, and Love which increasingly awakens us to recognize the impositions of materiality and the grand reality of spiritual substance.  This dawning of the Christ light is going on persistently and perpetually, unifying us in one Heart, Mind, and Soul to see the beautiful potential for greater good manifested in dearer fellowship and healing among our members.

2) For our community:

There is nothing to prevent us from “grow[ing] up into him in all things.”  There is no timidity or doubt or fear present to thwart our sincere efforts to reach out and to bless others in our community.  There is no one among us who does not embody the loving, healing power of the Christ to “[dispel] the illusions of the senses.”  The spiritual fabric of our being, the dynamic “living, palpitating presence,” this “new birth going on hourly,” is a burgeoning seed within each one of us, taking root and bearing fruit, prospering countless blessings upon those whom we come into contact with.

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Member contribution D

To discover the Messiah among us, I looked at Old Testament prophesy of the Messiah to learn the qualities or attributes that could be expected when s/he appears. Of course, we know that the Messiah, or Christ, has always existed and is among us right now. So, here’s a partial list of what I found:

- He’s named “Immanuel”, or God with Us.
- He eats butter and honey. (This would imply immense prosperity.)
- He refuses evil and chooses good.
- The spirit of God rests on him.
- He has the spirit of understanding, wisdom, counsel, might, knowledge, and love of God.
- He has quick understanding.
- He doesn’t judge by what he sees.
- He doesn’t disapprove based on what he’s heard.
- He judges with righteousness.
- His presence ensures peace and safety, even among those who appear to be sworn enemies.
- There is no envy among those with whom he dwells.
- The government is on his shoulder.
- He is called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Prince of Peace.

These attributes remind me of “A Rule for Motives and Acts” in the Church Manual, especially the last line: “The members of this Church should daily watch and pray to be delivered from all evil, from prophesying, judging, condemning, counseling, influencing or being influenced erroneously.” (Man. 40:11)

To live the Messiah, would mean to embrace each of these spiritual attributes for oneself in every moment. Then, it would be appropriate to really see these attributes reflected by others, even if it doesn’t seem that they are. I’m not sure which is more difficult - to really live these qualities ourselves or to really see them in others. It takes the humility of Jesus to accomplish.

What’s the reward? Old Testament prophesy tells us this, too. Active peace is achieved. Safety is ensured. Prosperity increases. The earth is filled with the knowledge of the Lord. The Gentiles will seek us. God will set up an ensign (flag) to draw all the remnant back. That is, our congregations will increase both through attraction of newcomers and the return of those who have dropped away. God will show us the path and lead us in the right direction.

Wow! Live the Messiah and good things happen! I liked this topic, because Mrs. Eddy says, “He who dated the Christian era is the Ensample in Christian Science.” (Man. 41:1-3) What better line of study for us than to learn what it takes to be more Christ-like.

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Member contribution E

A consideration of the Christ in each of us gets to the heart of divine Science, the scientific observation that leaves all material considerations behind, revealing the absoluteness of Spirit, immortal Mind, as All, developing its own wealth of spiritual ideas with confidence, abundance, certainty, care, and exactness.

The Christ is the power of God manifest in human experience, and it is always active, never absent. The Christ directs and governs, it provides full opportunities for Soul’s expression to reign in our lives. The Christ exists for everyone, and is heard whenever we listen.

There is a parallel with the ninth Commandment, “Though shalt not bare false witness against thy neighbor.” If we think the Christ is not present in a colleague, in our church experience, or our community, then we “bare false witness” in accepting a belief about God’s creation that is untrue; we then reap the harvest of spiritual poverty, which brings with it emptiness, loneliness, criticism, loss, failure. That attitude is obviously unproductive, and it’s not the truth of being.

Instead, we can quietly and confidently cherish the “true witness of our neighbor.” Our church is the representation of divine Principle at work. Our church is an element of God’s reflection, it is a spiritual idea that manifests the character of good and productivity that emanates from Soul. Our church is always an idea in the embrace of Spirit, a witness of divine Life. The essence of church is the flowing of spiritual resources that is always in place.

The implications of realizing this for our church rest in the knowledge and certainty that church is God’s structure, is designed to bless those associated with it, and to provide leadership, initiative, fulfilment, healing, satisfaction, and completeness. These qualities exist to enrich the experience of all church members and attendees. As attributes of God, these qualities have always been here, present, and active, and always will be.

Like or church, our community is also an outcome of divine reality. When we see this through the light of divine Science, or spiritual understanding, then we understand how important our community is, because it reflects intelligence and motivations directly expressed by infinite, immortal Mind. There can be no imperfect definition or description of our community because this community is God’s assembly of ideas. The community exists to manifest divine Life and Love, the beauty and intelligence of Soul.

Church and community form a natural unit within Soul as ideas supporting each other through the omnipresence and omnipotence of divine Love. The completeness of Soul, the activity of Life, the steadfastness of Principle, permeate both church and community as spiritual ideas. We can rejoice in recognizing and realizing this unity, and see the Christ as present and active in both. Then we are bearing true witness to our church and to our community, and letting the Christ govern as it naturally does in the realm of Soul. And that is true rejoicing.

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