"...life is not lost; its influence remains..."

As I write, Easter Monday is almost over and with it news of the passing of Pope Francis. 

The Christian Science Monitor published this: 

The first Latin American pontiff, he was celebrated for his humble style and concern for the poor, but alienated conservatives with critiques of capitalism and climate change. From his first greeting as pope of a simple “Good evening” to his embrace of refugees and the downtrodden, the Argentine-born pope signaled a different tone for the papacy, stressing humility over hubris for a Catholic Church beset by scandal and accusations of indifference. –AP

It may be timely to reprint the tribute paid by Mary Baker Eddy on the passing of Pope Leo XIII in 1903:

ON THE DEATH OF POPE LEO XIII, JULY 20, 1903

The sad, sudden announcement of the decease of Pope Leo XIII, touches the heart and will move the pen of millions. The intellectual, moral, and religious energy of this illustrious pontiff have animated the Church of Rome for one quarter of a century. The august ruler of two hundred and fifty million human beings has now passed through the shadow of death into the great forever. The court of the Vatican mourns him; his relatives shed “the unavailing tear.” He is the loved and lost of many millions. I sympathize with those who mourn, but rejoice in knowing our dear God comforts such with the blessed assurance that life is not lost; its influence remains in the minds of men, and divine Love holds its substance safe in the certainty of immortality. “In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.” (John 1 : 4.)
(My. 294:22–7)

The Easter message of resurrection is particularly relevant. Mrs. Eddy wrote: 

I love the Easter service: it speaks to me of Life, and not of death. Let us do our work; then we shall have part in his resurrection.(Mis. 180:16–19)

And from Scripture:

And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
(Acts 4:33)

What a comforting message.

Julie Swannell

The deep significance of the blood of Christ

When I came to the following passage in Mary Baker Eddy’s Prose Works (other than Science and Health), the thought came that we do not have to find the word Easter to be able to speak about the idea of Easter. Could it be that the whole story of the New Testament, of Jesus the Christ, is the Easter story? Here’s the passage:

The blood of Christ speaketh better things than that of Abel. The real atonement — so infinitely beyond the heathen conception that God requires human blood to propitiate His justice and bring His mercy — needs to be understood. The real blood or Life of Spirit is not yet discerned. Love bruised and bleeding, yet mounting to the throne of glory in purity and peace, over the steps of uplifted humanity, — this is the deep significance of the blood of Christ. Nameless woe, everlasting victories, are the blood, the vital currents of Christ Jesus’ life, purchasing the freedom of mortals from sin and death.

This blood of Jesus is everything to human hope and faith. Without it, how poor the precedents of Christianity! What manner of Science were Christian Science without the power to demonstrate the Principle of such Life; and what hope have mortals but through deep humility and adoration to reach the understanding of this Principle! When human struggles cease, and mortals yield lovingly to the purpose of divine Love, there will be no more sickness, sorrow, sin, and death. He who pointed the way of Life conquered also the drear subtlety of death.

It was not to appease the wrath of God, but to show the allness of Love and the nothingness of hate, sin, and death, that Jesus suffered. He lived that we also might live. He suffered, to show mortals the awful price paid by sin, and how to avoid paying it. He atoned for the terrible unreality of a supposed existence apart from God. He suffered because of the shocking human idolatry that presupposes Life, substance, Soul, and intelligence in matter, — which is the antipode of God, and yet governs mankind. The glorious truth of being — namely, that God is the only Mind, Life, substance, Soul — needs no reconciliation with God, for it is one with Him now and forever.
No and Yes, Mary Baker Eddy, pp. 34:18–23 (np)

 I find now that the Easter theme begins at the outset of the Essay Is There no Sacrificial Atonement – see page 33 which opens with: “Self-sacrifice is the highway to heaven.” [Ed. Readers are encouraged to read the entire article/sermon.]

So. I wonder where this line of reasoning will take me.

By the way, isn’t this a wonderful truth?—

The glory of human life is in overcoming sickness, sin, and death.  (No and Yes 33:23-24)

I should add that so far I have only gained a tiny bit in the understanding of Mrs. Eddy teaching in this passage.

Joyce Voysey