ADVENT 2020 – Page 4 – ADVENT 2020 – Sarah Hyatt, C.S.B. Forum

Sarah Hyatt

(@sarah)

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Joined: 1 year ago

Posts: 84

16/12/2020 10:26 pm

Dear Fellow Healers:

One of your classmates offers the following thoughts on the Advent of Christ and the power it demonstrates:

The birth of Jesus brought to mankind the reassurance of the infinite power of good and its inevitable triumph over evil in any form.

When Herod the king heard from the wise men about the birth of Jesus, he felt threatened by a power he didn’t understand. He saw it as something that would usurp his throne, the “seat of power”. So he sent the Wise Men out with subterfuge and guile to find the baby Jesus. “And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child; and when you have found him, bring me word again that I may come and worship him also.” (Matthew 2:8).

We can see that the modus operandi of Mortal Mind has not changed since the time of Jesus. The systems at play are still using subterfuge and guile to entice us to do their bidding. The current state of unrest in our world today, so evident to the material senses, is attempting to separate us from the one Mind that creates and governs all in perfect harmony. Mortal Mind will always attempt to use chaos, confusion, and control to keep us in a fearful state where we are unable to think clearly. We know that evil is never person, place, nor thing; nor is there, in reality, any mind other than the divine. We know that to think clearly is a bedrock of scientific, prayerful healing. Mary Baker Eddy says, in SH vii:13: “The time for thinkers has come. Truth, independent of doctrines and time-honored systems, knocks at the portal of humanity.”

Herod thought the power that threatened him was the baby Jesus, not knowing that is was the forever coming of the Christ which was being reawakened in the birth of the Christ child. The Wise men “wisely” listened to the message received from God and thereby were safe in their obedience and trust in the allness of God’s power. We are also safe and can heal the world as we recognize the deceptions used by Mortal Mind, whether it comes in the form of Materia Medica, political divisiveness, human personalities, despotism, or tribalism and refuse to give it power.

Just as Jairus knew Jesus could heal his daughter, and the woman with the issue of blood knew in her heart that Jesus had the power to heal her (Mark 5:23, 28), we can know that the power of the reappearing of the Christ can heal all the fear, chaos, and uncertainty of our current world. The Advent of the Christ is continual, and we are welcoming its healing message. This Christmas let us give thanks for the birth of our Savior which heralds the healing power of Christ which is ever-present, ever-loving and ever-of God.

Joyfully,

Sarah

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Sarah Hyatt

(@sarah)

Member Admin

Joined: 1 year ago

Posts: 84

17/12/2020 9:48 pm

Dear Fellow Healers:

A collaboration with one of our members yielded this daily Advent offering:

What a happy, joyous time of the year is the Christmas season! The trees, the lights, the decorations, and the happy faces on the children. We all seem to get taken up with the material things, and not the spiritual. However, during this Advent season, we can find ourselves looking for the evidence of the appearing of the Christ in our daily experience as an expression of God’s love for each of us.

When we consider the first giving of gifts, we have to recognize the "Wise Men," who in fear of their own death from King Herod followed a star to locate the blessed child and bestow their gifts on him. What faithful love they exhibited in their journey and in their refusal to return to Herod with the location of the child!

Shouldn’t that selfless love motivate our gift giving during this season? Too often we think about gift giving either in terms of obligation or simply a financial burden. If we can take the humble attitude of the Wise Men, we can find that selfless giving is a function of expressing the unlimited, impartial love that we possess by reflection from divine Love itself. That love can inspire our motives for gift giving. Mary Baker Eddy writes in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures (p. 454:19):

Right motives

give pinions to thought, and strength and freedom to

21 speech and action. Love is priestess at the altar of

Truth. Wait patiently for divine Love to move upon the

waters of mortal mind, and form the perfect concept.

24 Patience must "have her perfect work."

Like everyone else, I too get taken up in memories about our many happy times - about putting together an "Easy Bake Oven", a doll house, and a gas station just two hours before the children got up. About silly activities that have become family lore. But in looking more deeply at those memories, it’s easy to see that the true value in them is in recalling the love that motivated those actions. That love is so much more than mere human affection and personal attachment. In its purest sense, it is the Christ in action.

The true purpose of Christmas day is, as every day’s is, to love and support our fellow man. As Mrs. Eddy wrote in a letter to her students: "I am grateful to you for giving to the sick relief from pain; for giving joy to the suffering and hope to the disconsolate; for lifting the fallen and strengthening the weak, and encouraging the heart grown faint with hope deferred."

Only pure, Christly love can ensure the ability to fulfill Mrs. Eddy’s expectations of her students. This is the real Joy.

Joyfully,

Sarah

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Sarah Hyatt

(@sarah)

Member Admin

Joined: 1 year ago

Posts: 84

18/12/2020 9:16 pm

Dear Fellow Healer:

Here's an offering from one of our members on generosity.

This Advent period reminds us of the precious gift we’ve been given and the need to let our actions show the gratitude that overflows in our hearts for the gift of the knowledge of the Christ and its irresistible power to heal and to save. Hymn 222 offers this healing message:

How silently, how silently,

The wondrous gift is given;

So God imparts to human hearts

The blessings of His heaven.

No ear may hear his coming,

But in this world of sin,

Where meekness will receive him, still

The dear Christ enters in.

Christmas is a season of generosity. Giving gifts and being generous with our time and energy can be gratifying, but if we do not elevate generosity from the human to its spiritual sense, we may feel that our resources are becoming exhausted. It is helpful to gain an understanding of the source of our impulse to be generous and how it is sustained.

Our capacity for sustained generosity comes directly from God. Mrs. Eddy tells us in Science and Health, “Imparting has not impoverished, can never impoverish, the divine Mind” (p. 529:25-26); and “Giving does not impoverish us in the service of our Maker, neither does withholding enrich us” (SH 79:31-32). I have always thought of generosity as a quality associated with divine Love. Reading these two citations together brought the inspiration that since Mind and Love are synonyms for God, we are naturally intelligent in our generosity. Divine Mind guides us to give exactly what is needed, when it is needed, and would never ask us to do more than we are humanly capable of doing. We do not need be afraid of exhausting ourselves or our resources by being too generous. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil 4:13).

It is also helpful to know that we are not the source of goodness. God is always supplying what is needed to every one of His creations in exactly the way it’s needed. Sometimes we are the channel for the goodness others receive, but we can trust that this spiritual law is in operation even when we are not personally involved and may not see the unfolding of it. As our sense of the never-exhausted abundance of God’s gifts to us grows in our hearts, we will find ourselves not only generous, but increasingly magnanimous - “exhibiting nobleness of soul; liberal and honorable; not selfish,” according to Webster’s Dictionary, 1828.

I love to think of how the “wondrous gift” was given to the world in the Christmas story. From a material perspective, Mary and Joseph did not seem to be capable of contributing much to the world. They did not even have enough money to stay in an inn. Many of the others who were led to bring gifts did not seem to have much to give. But those who realized the immensity of the gift of the coming of the Christ to the human scene responded by offering whatever gifts they could offer. In this spirit, let us give of our heart’s rich overflow this Christmas season.

Joyfully,

Sarah

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Sarah Hyatt

(@sarah)

Member Admin

Joined: 1 year ago

Posts: 84

19/12/2020 10:41 pm

Dear Fellow Healers:

Here’s a contribution from one of you on the Advent of Christ that brings to light the value of seeing newness as an indicator of the ever coming of the Christ to the human consciousness.

To the Shepherds, the Wise Men, and of course to Mary and Joseph, the birth of Jesus was a new coming--- a coming that was so much more than a new baby! This was a revelation of light, of new thoughts, that they had never before had. This revelation goes on today as people everywhere celebrate the birth of the Christ child, and inquire of the light.

The Jewish hierarchy and the ruling authorities of that time rejected the new light or Christ-like thought because it brought with it a change of ideas which they saw as a threat to the status quo. Their thought was closed to new and ever operative expressions of Truth brought forth as healing the sick, reforming the sinful, and raising the dead.

It often goes unnoticed that we have begun coasting along in our thoughts and prayers. Our prayers seem “same-old, same-old,” and they work about as well as trying to climb to new heights with a worn-out rope. Just as it shined two thousand years ago, and even before that, the light of the Christ is not a static set of thoughts or laws. It bubbles forth like a spring, constantly exposing freshness, purity, and unending volume.

Where can we find this light of the Christ or this well-spring of thoughts? We can find it each morning when we awake, waiting with open thought. We find it in the shower. We hear it from our neighbor, we sing it in a hymn, and we get it from our study of The Bible Lesson, from careful reading of our periodicals, and on and on. Our Leader uses the words, “…song, sermon, or Science” —all can bring “crumbs of comfort from Christ's table…” (SH 234:4).

As we come closer to our celebration of the Christmas holiday, let’s welcome the “new-old idea” that Mrs. Eddy refers to in this passage from Science and Health (191:8):

As a material, theoretical life-basis is found to be a

9 misapprehension of existence, the spiritual and divine

Principle of man dawns upon human thought, The immortal

and leads it to "where the young child was," birth

12 — even to the birth of a new-old idea, to the spiritual

sense of being and of what Life includes. Thus the whole

earth will be transformed by Truth on its pinions of light,

15 chasing away the darkness of error.

The key---thought must be open to new ideas---, and then the light of Christ again shines forth.

Joyfully,

Sarah

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Sarah Hyatt

(@sarah)

Member Admin

Joined: 1 year ago

Posts: 84

20/12/2020 11:31 pm

Dear Fellow Healers:

The Advent of Christ is easily associated with the coming of light – dispelling the darkness of a matter-based concept of reality. Here’s an offering from one of our members on light:

During the holidays, light appears everywhere but are we allowing it into our lives in its deepest spiritual promise? The custom of Christmas lights symbolizes Christ, the light of the world ( Christmas in America). That light gives us courage, warmth, understanding, and leads us in the right direction; it brings healing in all areas of our lives.

The power and purpose of spiritual light is illustrated in a parable told by Jesus. The parable of the ten virgins tells of five who bring enough oil to keep their lanterns fed and their light shining and 5 who did not. Those without are eventually shut out by the host, left seemingly alone and outside the physical door in darkness as a result (Mathew 24:45). I see this story as a testament towards keeping our light shining all the time and having a full reservoir of oil defined by Mary Baker Eddy as “consecration; charity; gentleness; prayer; heavenly inspiration”(S&H 592:25). Staying focused on our own spiritual growth and placing the right emphasis on the things that matter, we find our eyes opened to the light of Christ coming to us moment by moment.

While it appears to some that Christmas lights are part of a competition or the commercialization of Christmas, I find them a beautiful reminder that Christ is all around us. When I was a small child, afraid of the dark, my father told me a story about hunting with my grandfather. They walked a long distance into the woods before dawn. With the flashlight guiding his every move and his father beside him, he was fearless. When they settled in and turned off the light, he grew more and more restless. His fears seemed to grab hold of him, and it wasn’t until the dawn broke that the sticks, leaves, and other noises which had caused such terror could finally be seen as harmless. The light, ever so slowly bringing new understanding, his fears dissolved as the objects and their shadows gave up new details. Finally, with the forest fully illuminated, his fears subsided in line with Mrs. Eddy’s statement: “...the sooner error is reduced to its native nothingness, the sooner man’s great reality will appear and his genuine being will be understood” (S&H 218).

I have relied on this story for many years. It helps give me courage and understanding when the path seems dark to remember that the true nature of things will be revealed, in God’s time. God will light our path through the activity of the Christ, and all our fears will fall away.

Dear fellow healer and child of God, I know that for some the twinkling lights of the holidays do not always seem to represent God’s ever present light that the presence of Christ brings to the world. But I am hopeful and steadfast. God has every inch of his roof, driveway, windows and trees fully wrapped in the light of Christ and it is reminding, revealing, warming, and guiding us directly onto his perfect path.

Joyfully,

Sarah

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Sarah Hyatt

(@sarah)

Member Admin

Joined: 1 year ago

Posts: 84

21/12/2020 8:53 pm

Dear Fellow Healer:

Here's a contribution from another of our members:

I think it was not I that selected ‘Limitless’ as the Advent quality to write about; the quality of ‘Limitless’ selected me because humanly I struggle with limitation.

I find it is very difficult for what claims to be “my” limited mortal mind and senses to grasp the concept of the unlimited –or limitless. Continuing to focus on myself, with well-practiced self-limitations, I find it difficult to live in and know Truth. God tells us clearly that His ways are not our ways (Isa. 55:9). The Advent of the Christ in my human consciousness awakens me to question the self-imposed limitations of human personality, material customs and habits, and human history.

Even in daily prayer that acknowledges ‘thy will be done’, it is often difficult not to yield to what appears to be a personal will opposed to the divine. Jesus said “If you hold to my teachings, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). I can relate to that; I so often feel that I am locked in irons as I find a false concept of myself as a limited mortal in conflict with limitless Spiirt. As I’m able to recognize the eternal God without limits, as Jesus did, I can begin to experience fulfillment in being released spiritually to live in the place of infinite possibility. This is the Christ light that we celebrate at Advent but that is always with us. From a heavenly perspective as a reflection of God, my expectations have begun to slowly expand to include the Principle of limitless and infinite power of God. Those self forged chains of a false sense of self fall away as the chains did from Paul in his prison experience!

Still, my mind sometimes has difficulty discerning Spirit, Truth, Life, and Love. For me to know this and to believe ‘...that we would not only do the same great things he did but would do greater things’, I need to be “out of my mind” – out of the false claim that wants me to accept as real that which is inherently unreal – a mind outside of the divine! After all, Jesus wasn't limited by social standing, schooling, or by beliefs of human personality or heredity.

When the mortal senses are quiet and still, spiritual discernment arises –‘our daily bread’. Fear, it seems, keeps trying to take me back to “my mortal mind” and its thoughts posing as my thoughts. But once error is exposed to the divine light of the Christ, its power is destroyed and replaced by divine comfort. I am not afraid because Immanuel, God with us, is guiding me on the right path. Mary Baker Eddy wrote “The way to extract error from mortal mind is to pour in truth through the flood tides of Love” (Science and Health 201:17). I am comforted knowing, not just believing, that I really am a reflection of God and as such can embrace the glories of limitless incorporeal Life and Love. This influx of Christ, Truth is something we can all rejoice in during this Advent season and every day.

Joyfully,

Sarah

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Sarah Hyatt

(@sarah)

Member Admin

Joined: 1 year ago

Posts: 84

22/12/2020 10:31 pm

Dear Fellow Healers:

2020 has been a year that has often challenged our natural hopefulness. However, we can look around us and find reasons for hope abounding! The Advent of the Christ fulfills our hope for healing, for joy, for peace, for greater understanding and more of brotherhood lived in selfless giving. Here’s an offering from one of you on hope. Let’s look around today for signs of the coming of the Christ in our experience, and let that renew our hope for only more good to come:

Some Bible scholars claim that before the birth of Jesus, there were more than 300 prophesies in Holy Writ regarding his coming. In all likelihood, Jews were aware of these prophesies, and while all may not have been actively hoping for fulfillment, some like Simeon and Anna certainly were. In the Luke’s Gospel we read of their hope being satisfied with reality.

Our hymnal says, “To us a Child of Hope is born, To us a Son is given; Him shall the tribes of earth obey,
And all the hosts of heaven.” (Hymn 362, v.1). Hope is as integral to us today as it was then. In Romans Paul writes, “[W]e are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope….” He goes on to say, “[I]f we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it” (Romans 8:24, 25). Do we not sometimes lose hope? Like those early Jews, we get tired of waiting, give up, --- doubt the efficacy of the Christ, despair of the time it takes to realize healing.

The “hoped for” Jesus gave us promises. Unlike the prophesies of yesteryear that seemed still coming, he demonstrated his promises. Like the Christ, they are as true and operable today as they have always been. In John, we hear Jesus speaking to his followers, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31,32).

On pp. 115,116 of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mrs. Eddy reminds us that the Second Degree is the “transitional state” where “evil beliefs [are] disappearing.” In that “transitional state,” hope is a definite quality, along with faith. And as we rise in consciousness to the “Third Degree,” spiritual understanding is the rule, not the goal. How important then is our hope!

Joyfully,

Sarah

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Sarah Hyatt

(@sarah)

Member Admin

Joined: 1 year ago

Posts: 84

24/12/2020 8:42 pm

Dear Fellow Healer:

The Christ is here! We’ve learned that the Christ, Immanuel, is “God with us.” Mary Baker Eddy defines the Christ as “…the true idea voicing good, the divine message from God to men speaking to the human consciousness” (Science and Health 331:9). This communication is always ongoing, and it can never be limited by or to a date on a calendar. However, with so much of the world focused on celebrating the birth of Jesus, “the human herald of Christ, Truth,” we can join in the rejoicing that the permanent advent of the Christ is always ongoing, impartially and universally, bringing harmony and peace to a world so in need of a correct sense of our Father-Mother God and our relationship to our divine Parent.

Jesus has given us the true idea of our common Parent and of the worth and value of all as expressions of the divine nature. We know from Science and Health (18:3) that “Jesus of Nazareth taught and demonstrated man's oneness with the Father, and for this we owe him endless homage.” This Christmas Day we have the opportunity to show some of that “endless homage” that we owe him by listening for those Christ messages that tell us of each one’s true nature as a “joint-heir with Christ” (Rom. 8:17). Looking for the qualities that attest to the Advent of Christ, the qualities that we’ve been cherishing daily all this month, will uplift our own approach to Christmas Day and will benefit and bless those on whom our thoughts rest.

We can turn to God for inspiration when finding those Christly qualities in others seems hard. That right desire to honor the Christ in others will be a prayer that God will mold and exalt before it takes form in words and in deeds (see S&H p. 1). We’ll find that the Christ speaks to us and awakens in us an appreciation of the worth and value of all those in our experience.

That same Christ also gives us an awakened sense of our own Christliness so that we bring to each interaction peace, joy, humility, grace, and goodness. We will truly see that the Christ is here, wherever we are, and its healing presence must be visible to anyone seeking to show their gratitude for the greatest gift the world has ever been given.

Have a very merry Christmas!

Joyfully,

Sarah

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