Friday, January 1, 2010

A New Year's Resolution (2010)

For many well-intentioned and perhaps guilt-nagged souls the musty tradition of new year's resolutions is, I suspect, little more than the opportunity to have a self-satisfying workout with the Styrofoam weights of good intentions and the relief of knowing that sweat and strain will not need to mar, like fire ants at a Fourth of July picnic, the experience. What should be done should be done today, if possible, not delayed to some distant and convenient future day when it can easily be trifled with, forgotten, or left to molder in the bottom of a "honey-do" basket. We may think we live in more benign times than the unconcealed depravity and cruelty of the early Christian era, but seething beneath the whitewashed surface of our seemingly more civilized centuries are insidious and malignant evils which will, if not corrected or destroyed, engulf mankind.

The great red dragon has, we are told, seven heads and ten horns, so we are not looking at some readily defined Goliath, but something more akin to a mental army of hugger-mugger plug-uglies intent on more than busting a few kneecaps. One manifestation of these evils is an age of narcolepsy, insomnia, or a seemingly inoffensive refuge in the teddy bear of sleep. Mrs. Eddy once wrote in one of her "watches": "Watch that M.A.M. does not dull your thought to the clear Word of God. I gave so much to your class--my last class--and so little has been done with it! Why? Because sleep overcomes the thought. Students must be watchers against the 'thief that cometh in the night'.

To which it seems wise to add the admonition Jesus repeated: "Physician, heal thyself." If one is not already committed to being his own physician, it is one new year's resolution he can wisely make--if kept. An understanding and demonstration of Christian Science cannot be postponed forever, so why do so for another year or lustrum or decade? Someone once pointed out in an old Sentinel, I think, that turning reflexively to a C.S. practitioner for help and then returning after healing or alleviation of the problem to business as usual is using Christian Science as a material medicine. Christ Jesus required his followers to "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils", not habitually to seek out the aid of those faithful workers who do it.

Note: A reader gave the definition of mithridatism in a comment to that entry. Since I wasn't intending its meaning exactly, I modified it with malignant. We certainly do not wish to become immune to mortal mind's pernicious effects. My intent was to caution against the very real danger of becoming immune to the deleterious effects of an increasing, imperceptible acceptance of the so-called laws and claims of mortal mind, which then assume aggressive legitimacy in the arrogated plumage of one's false beliefs.

23 comments:

L. R. said...

An excellent essay to start off this New Year.
Well done, blogger.

Happy 2010 from California said...

A really good blog post. And you can't do better than quoting our dear Leader, not to mention Jesus' admonition.
With my appreciation for all you are doing to keep CS's awake and demonstrating...

Thanks - NYC said...

You haven't lost your touch. Another very well written essay, one that will help many.

Oxford said...

I thought it was about time we heard from your inspired pen again. This one is really good, in my view.
Have a wonderful New Year (though I shall be back many times I feel certain.)

Susan said...

Nicely done. And I would like to know where you got that quotation from Mrs. Eddy. Arresting of course, and worth taking to heart.

D. L. said...

A perfect way to start off this new year ahead of us. Thanks for your efforts to keep the Field alert and proving this wonderful religion we've been given.

Near Boston said...

You're so good at this blogging on CS issues, and I look forward to seeing many more excellent blog posts from you in the coming months.
Happy New Year!

Still impressed said...

Terrific blog post, blogger. Keep up the high-level work you've been doing, and have a happy Saturday (wherever you are)

UK - mlc said...

Happy 2010 author/poet:
I have no doubt you're one Christian Scientist who is going to make spiritual progress this year!
Well written essay.

janet k. said...

Thanks, blogger, for maintaining such an interesting and well-presented website. I always get something worthwhile from checking you out.
Best,

H. B. said...

Nice New Year's gift for us out here. Hope you have a very successful 2010 with your website.

New Viewer said...

You are very talented, blogger. No wonder my friend suggested that I check you out.
Will be back for sure,

Very grateful said...

Keep those excellent blog posts coming along this year. I do enjoy seeing such fine writing!

Arizona regular said...

You're starting off a new month with a really good essay. Enjoyed it a lot!

Nameless, like you said...

A fresh way to look at an important issue. Thanks!

Ohio regular said...

No, we don't live in more benign times, as you write. The evil in the carnal mind is just more covered up. And this is why we must hew to the Holy Bible and the teachings of divine Science. Without these, there is no way out.

R. W. said...

I believe everything you say. Thanks for reminding us how we can live in the Truth.

Anonymous said...

Jesus' "Physician, heal thyself" made me think of something Science and Health points out about our being our own physician. Don't know where Mrs. Eddy says this, but the more we learn of what she gave us, the closer we get to this point.
Thanks for sharing your inspiration with the Field,

P.S. from anon. said...

"When the Science of being is universally understood, every man will be his own physician, and Truth will be the universal pancea."
(Science and Health, page 144)

Lafayette, LA said...

I'm a fan of your prose and poetry. Looking forward to seeing more this year!

St. Louis regular said...

Very well done blog post to start us off this year. Appreciate all the help you are giving out.

E. A. said...

What you pointed out about turning to practitioners to help us, more than we should, then going right back to our daily life is using CS the way people do medicine and drugs, is something I agree with. Isn't growing up and out of the belief that there is matter the key thing? Yes, Jesus said we should heal the sick--not always have others do it for us.
A good blog post...

Long-time reader said...

Keep up your good work. You have no idea how much your website has helped me over the months, and I can't wait for his next posting.