Common Work
December 11, 1997
Jesus cast out evil spirits, or false beliefs. The Apostle Paul bade men have the Mind that was in the Christ. Jesus did his own work by the one Spirit. He said: "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work."
Our topic was suggested last week by a member who shared an article from a recent Journal of Noetic Sciences describing a chance occurrence at a meeting of scientist from disparate fields who suddenly realized and proclaimed that they were all doing the same work. This opened into a realization that there is a common work in which all mankind are involved and it will be found precisely in our own work with it's attendant spiritual resources.
It seemed to our group that Christian Scientists, gay people, and indeed most folks today, feel cut off from the mainstream and unconnected to the common good. Our members worked on this during the week.
Discussion centered on the need to go beyond the surface presentation of religious, scientific and medical belief to the reality underlying such forms.
One member brought in copies of recent articles in the November Christian Science Journal and the December 15 Christian Science Sentinel regarding breakthroughs in Christian Science thought to:
a) bring CS healing to the attention of a Baptist convention.
b) discuss the underlying commonality or oneness of what are called heterosexuality and homosexuality.
The trend to reach out to those previously thought to be beyond the stereotypical Christian Scientist is also shown in the ongoing conferences with practitioners of medical and other religious systems. This mirrors what people in the Noetic Science piece found - as they worked out from what they had in common with others, the actuality of oneness became tangible in experience.
Healing testimonies appeared to partake of our study of the subject.
1) One member saw a family squabble settle down after he scientifically saw what one family member yelled at another, "Who's in charge here?" as a divine, not human demand to go up higher. The "who" that was in charge here and everywhere is the One Father/Mother.
2) One member was amazed at how quickly a bad lingering cold cleared up once he worked on it Scientifically.
"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling," says the apostle, and he straightway adds: "for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure" (Philippians ii. 12, 13). Truth has furnished the key to the kingdom, and with this key Christian Science has opened the door of the human understanding.
Truth does the work, and you must both understand and abide by the divine Principle of your demonstration.
Jesus' promise is perpetual. Had it been given only to his immediate disciples, the Scriptural passage would read you, not they. The purpose of his great life-work extends through time and includes universal humanity. Its Principle is infinite, reaching beyond the pale of a single period or of a limited following. As time moves on, the healing elements of pure Christianity will be fairly dealt with; they will be sought and taught, and will glow in all the grandeur of universal goodness.
When the discoverer of Christian Science is consulted by her followers as to the propriety, advantage, and consistency of systematic medical study, she tries to show them that under ordinary circumstances a resort to faith in corporeal means tends to deter those, who make such a compromise, from entire confidence in omnipotent Mind as really possessing all power. While a course of medical study is at times severely condemned by some Scientists, she feels, as she always has felt, that all are privileged to work out their own salvation according to their light, and that our motto should be the Master's counsel, "Judge not, that ye be not judged."
Students are advised by the author to be charitable and kind, not only towards differing forms of religion and medicine, but to those who hold these differing opinions. Let us be faithful in pointing the way through Christ, as we understand it, but let us also be careful always to "judge righteous judgment," and never to condemn rashly.