Resurrection: Spiritualization of thought; a new and higher idea of immortality, or spiritual existence; material belief yielding to spiritual understanding. (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy 593: 9)
We acknowledge that the crucifixion of Jesus and his resurrection served to uplift faith to understand eternal Life, even the allness of Soul, Spirit, and the nothingness of matter.
And we solemnly promise to watch, and pray for that Mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus; to do unto others as we would have them do unto us; and to be merciful, just, and pure. (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy 497: 20-27)
Every Wednesday at 6.15pm a Testimony Meeting is held at the Christian Science church in Canberra (corner of Macquarie and Bligh Streets, Barton). At these meetings short readings on a particular topic are followed by time for members of the congregation to share how they have been helped and healed through prayer.
Everyone is welcome. If you are in Canberra on any Wednesday, please join us.
This recording is of Wednesday Testimony Meeting Readings on the Easter Story.
The true meaning of Easter is wondrous! Its message promises such blessings to each one of us and to our world. To hide it behind bunnies and eggs, secularism and skepticism, is heart breaking.
Jesus was crucified by the materialistic world’s hatred of his divinity. His grace and power to bring peace and healing to the world was unsurpassed and something human power could not control. It tried to silence his holy message by crucifying him. But how he reacted to such evil intent was an example to us all. He responded with the lovingkindness, calmness and confidence that could only come from the deepest understanding that evil cannot conquer goodness any more than the darkness can conquer the light.
For three days it seemed like evil had won. Then, when even the disciples had given up hope, Jesus emerged from the tomb alive.
Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Christian Science church, described this surprising re-appearance, when she said, ‘The lonely precincts of the tomb gave Jesus a refuge from his foes, a place in which to solve the great problems of being… He proved Life to be deathless and Love to be the master of hate.’
In the resurrection, Jesus proved that there is life beyond what we see, like someone journeying on after they have sailed out of our sight. I think of it like writing a sum on a page, say 2+2=4. If we destroy the page, is the truth that sum represents also destroyed, or is it eternally true and untouched? Jesus showed us that each one of us has just such an eternally true identity, something that the outward appearance only hints at, something that never dies. What a glorious message.
He also showed that to react with love instead of hate or anger, disempowers evil. This love, however, is more than human love or kindness. It is a love that has its source in God, a God that the Bible tells us is Love itself. Hatred and evil, being a lack of love, can no more stand in the face of divine Love than the darkest night can stand in the presence of the light of the dawn. Not reacting stops evil from spreading. That’s why Jesus counteracted the old thought of ‘eye for an eye’ with ‘turn the other cheek’ – don’t ever react to evil, stop it in its tracks. Is this not a message the world needs to remember and live by much more consistently? Is this not a message that could bring peace to our world? Is this not the ‘Golden Rule’ – ‘do unto others as you would have them do unto you’?
The true meaning of Easter is of the utmost importance to our own lives and to the world. If we remember it in our hearts and live it in our lives, then that precious sacrifice made by Jesus is not lost but is still as relevant today as it was 2000 years ago.
This article was contributed by Beth Packer, a practitioner of Christian Science healing, listed in the world-wide Journal of healers and member of the Christian Science Board of Lectureship.
Please join us at 10.00 am on Easer Sunday at the corner of Macquarie and Bligh Streets, Barton in Canberra.
Unselfish ambition, noble life-motives, and purity, — these constituents of thought, mingling, constitute individually and collectively true happiness, strength, and permanence. (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy p58: 7)
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. … and the God of peace shall be with you. (The Bible – Philippians 4: 8, 9)
An article from the Christian Science Sentinel by Diane Marrapodi
Recently a chorus of women around the world lifted their voices on social media to raise public awareness of sexual harassment and assault. Under the hashtag #MeToo, millions have posted their stories of being mistreated because of their sex.
Shining a light on this dark corner of human injustice is an important step toward solving the problem. But for victims who struggle with aftereffects of abuse, is it possible to go beyond #MeToo to find freedom and peace? My experience shows that a Christianly scientific understanding of God and man can bring complete healing and liberation.
In this article Diane shares her experience and details her path out of the mental turmoil and shame that seemed to envelope her afterwards. Click here to read or listen to the full article.
Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy
This book is the textbook of Christian Science. It explains God intelligently, not as anthropomorphic, but as Mind and as Love. By aligning our thought with this divine Mind, peace and wellbeing are experienced. Mary Baker Eddy explains:
Not muscles, nerves, nor bones, but mortal mind makes the whole body “sick, and the whole heart faint;” whereas divine Mind heals.
When this is understood, we shall never affirm concerning the body what we do not wish to have manifested. We shall not call the body weak, if we would have it strong; for the belief in feebleness must obtain in the human mind before it can be made manifest on the body, and the destruction of the belief will be the removal of its effects. (p219: 11-20)
You embrace your body in your thought, and you should delineate upon it thoughts of health, not of sickness. You should banish all thoughts of disease and sin and of other beliefs included in matter. (p208: 29-1)
Stand porter at the door of thought. Admitting only such conclusions as you wish realized in bodily results, you will control yourself harmoniously. When the condition is present which you say induces disease, whether it be air, exercise, heredity, contagion, or accident, then perform your office as porter and shut out these unhealthy thoughts and fears. (p392: 24-30)
Click here to purchase this book or to read it free on-line. It is also available for purchase or loan at the Christian Science Reading Room and bookshop located on the corner of Macquarie and Bligh Streets, Barton, ACT.
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. (The Bible – I Corinthians 13: 4-8)
Love fulfils the law of Christian Science, … (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy p572: 12)
Every Wednesday at 6.15pm a Testimony Meeting is held at the Christian Science church in Canberra (corner of Macquarie and Bligh Streets, Barton). At these meetings short readings on a particular topic are followed by time for members of the congregation to share how they have been helped and healed through prayer.
Everyone is welcome. If you are in Canberra on any Wednesday, please join us.
This is a recording of the Wednesday readings on the topic: Love Thy Neighbour.
While at school, I developed a love for sport—running, mountain biking, circuit training (calisthenics). I appreciated the mental refreshment, stimulation, and inspiration these activities gave me, which were especially useful at exam time. Although I didn’t realize this until much later, the generally acknowledged benefits of exercise—reshaping one’s body, and muscle conditioning in particular—became a god to me as time went on. The desire for an improved body was only accentuated when, during my first months at university in 1993, my eating habits caused my weight to jump 20 percent. Dissatisfied with my appearance, I found my self-confidence beginning to erode. …
In this article, first published in the Christian Science Sentinel, Alexander describes how he learned to develop a more spiritual concept of himself – a concept that resulted in a sense of freedom from continual worry about weight and about whether he was getting enough exercise. Even when his life and work commitments necessitated a more sedentary life-style he found he could say:
… I was free! A mental sentence was lifted—I no longer feared the adverse effects of not exercising, and my zeal for it faded. I suddenly realised that over the last couple of years I’d lost all the weight I needed to.
Click here to read the full text of this article, a Satisfying Approach to Physical Fitness by Alexander Workmanfrom the Christian Science Sentinel.
Christian Science Canberra 