Since taking a break from the sessions, the word that has come across to me is entitlement. Because I think I know Christian Science, I think I am entitled to a healing. We had a recent session based on Luke 14 where Jesus is taking the Jews to task on their sense of entitlement. I did not at first see this as related to myself because the Jews derive their entitlement from lineage. But there is a connection in that being tied to a body of knowledge alone, whether Judaism or Christian Science, makes me entitled to the claiming of being in God's will.
Also in a recent session, was the pointing out of thinking Christian Science continuously. If I have read a number of works on Christian Science and think I understand them, then I have arrived at another form of entitlement. Even though I think I understand them does not mean later on that I am thinking Christian Science continuously.
Eustace points out that the books alone do not make the Christian Scientist. Eustace changed the wording of the scientific statement of being a little: All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation, for I am All-in-all. Eustace also says, "We take every one of these steps directly from Mind," not a book.
The following prayer in the Blue Book has more meaning to me. It at first strikes me as a beginner's prayer because it is pleading with God. However, the initials C. S. might be those of Clara Shannon, a seasoned worker. Most importantly, there is no sense of entitlement in this prayer:
"Be like a little child. Turn your thoughts to Love and say, O Love, just take me in; give me one Mind, one consciousness and make me love my neighbor as myself. Let your heart cry out to divine Love. A child cries out to its mother for more light, more truth, more love. Ask Love for what you need and for what Love has to give; then take it and demand of yourself to rise up and live it."
The asking of divine Love to give me one Mind and make me love my neighbor as myself means that God is to do these things, not for me to try to do them humanly. "Rise up and live it" again means this is not to be done humanly, and there is no sense of entitlement!
(Eustace 930; Blue Book 61 & 125)
- Dale Dawson, Maryland