Even
though one has read all of Mrs. Eddy’s writings many times, there can always be
some truth that gets one’s attention on re-reading. This
time the specific truth has stayed with my consciousness as: “The Christ came
for the benefit of humanity.”
Mrs.
Eddy’s sentence is, “I celebrate Christmas with my soul, my spiritual sense,
and so commemorate the entrance into human understanding of the Christ
conceived of Spirit, of God and not of a woman – as the birth of Truth, the
dawn of divine Love breaking upon the gloom of matter and evil with the glory
of infinite being.” (My emphasis.)
I
find the thought is rather like one in this week’s Lesson-Sermon on God the
Preserver of Man: “But mortals did need this help.”
The
complete paragraph reads: "Is it not a species of infidelity to believe that
so great a work as the Messiah’s was done for himself or for God, who needed no
help from Jesus example to preserve the eternal harmony? But mortals did
need this help" page 494, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy.
And
as I think about the influence of Christmas in our world, I think of those who
do not profess to any Christian sentiment and who still spread the message of
love through gifts at Christmas. There are even some of faiths other than
Christianity who recognize the Christmas spirit.
There
is a beautiful story about Christmas in John Wyndham’s little book The
Ultimate Freedom. John was a prisoner-of-war of the Japanese in
Indonesia during World War II. He practised his religion Christian
Science to such a degree that he was able to gain a Christmas benefit for the
prisoners. I hope you can read this precious book. It is available
from Mountaintop Publishing. Easily found on the internet.
Joyce Voysey
Editor: I am happy to share the powerful and moving story of John Wyndham's Christmas in the Indonesian prisoner of war camp via email or phone with anyone who would like to hear it. Email us at csredcliffe@hotmail.com.
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