Sometimes we may feel astounded at unloving and unlovely actions, whether in our personal experience or on the world stage. At times it can seem as if there’s a lot of hate and not much loving of one’s neighbor. Perhaps the world’s greatest need right now is for love – the trustworthy love that gives stability within families, respect in communications on social media and elsewhere, and fairness and conciliation in local, national, and international politics.
Fortunately, there is a power that enables us to yield to love rather than hate. It is the very power of Christ that Christmas signifies, enabling us to return good for evil and to feel the depth of peace and goodwill that God, divine Love, has instilled in all of us.
The eternal Christ, “the spiritual idea of divine Love” that Jesus communicated and demonstrated throughout his life, comes to each of us, bringing grace and healing (Mary Baker Eddy, “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” p. 38). Mrs. Eddy, who discovered Christian Science and founded the Monitor, came to understand this nature of the Christ through her study of the Bible. She loved Christmas as a reminder of God’s great gift to humanity, the dawning in human thought of divine Love’s presence and power, always active on our behalf.
How grateful we can be to know that the timeless Christ is always with us and meets every need for love when our hearts are receptive. I’ve often found it helpful, at Christmastime and throughout the year, to pause and look at some of the ideas in the Bible and Mrs. Eddy’s writings that prompt and empower us to really love more.
For instance, Jesus’ work was heralded by the joyful angel message of Love that came as spiritual intuition to the Judean shepherds at the time of his birth: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14). As they humbly kept watch over their sheep during the dark night, their alertness pointed to a receptivity to the divine blessings that were – and still are – fulfilled by the light of the Christ presence.
Quite early in his ministry, Jesus taught his followers how to live goodwill toward all day by day in his Sermon on the Mount. He gave practical examples of how to think and act with unselfish patience and forgiveness that bring harmony and healing to relationships of all sorts. He said, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:43, 44).
It may not seem instinctive to love, bless, do good to, or pray for those who have caused harm, acted with hostility, or oppose us, but Jesus’ teachings demand more of us than reacting at the level of a problem. They point us to a higher, Christly standard in which we see others as God made them – spiritual and good – and recognize that everyone is capable of living our spiritual and good nature. This offers a higher opportunity for healing and progress.
Mary Baker Eddy published an article called “Love your enemies,” which explains that someone only appears to be an enemy from a limited, human perspective. An enemy never comes forth from God, the divine Father-Mother of all, who embraces all His children in one loving family. The true, God-given identity of everyone is the spiritual reflection of divine Love, to whom it is natural to express the Christly qualities that Jesus commended.
The article advises, “Simply count your enemy to be that which defiles, defaces, and dethrones the Christ-image that you should reflect” (“Miscellaneous Writings 1883-1896,” p. 8). Fundamentally, our enemy is only ever a temptation to react with hostility or animosity – when instead, motivated and supported by Christ’s infinite grace, we can let the harmonizing law of Love be the law by which we live.
This law, the article explains, “rejoices the heart; and Love is Life and Truth. Whatever manifests aught else in its effects upon mankind, demonstrably is not Love” (p. 12).
In one of several remarks on the significance of Christmas, Mrs. Eddy declared, “The basis of Christmas is love loving its enemies, returning good for evil, love that ‘suffereth long, and is kind’” (“The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany,” p. 260). This Christmas and beyond, let’s rejoice that the Christ-power is always with us, revealing the ever-presence of divine Love, and strive to see in everyone the pure expression of Love that God has created. Holding firmly to this view brings out harmony and healing.
May you have the joy of a Love-filled Christmas.
