Healing by reflecting God

Carnival mirrors humorously distort images. Good mirrors often present undesired likenesses. A peaceful lake gives a clear reflection, but a gusty breeze wipes it out.

Mary Baker Eddy n1 uses the analogy of a mirror to show a reflection that is not subject to distortion, variation, or loss. She writes: "Your mirrored reflection is your own image or likeness. If you lift a weight, your reflection does this also. If you speak, the lips of this likeness move in accord with yours. Now compare man before the mirror to his divine Principle, God. Call the mirror divine Science, and call man the reflection. The note how true, according to Christian Science, is the reflection to its original." n2

n1 Mrs. Eddy is the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science.

n2 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,m pp. 515-516.

Divine Science mirrors spiritual reality. God is the original, man is the reflection. God, the source, reflects all good in man, His precise image.

Science furnishes the mirror in which we can see ourselves as we really are -- spiritual, not material. In Science we reflect all that God is and does. We express intelligence, love, holiness, health. But we can't do something God doesn't do. In our real, spiritual nature we can't manifest fear, sickness, ignorance, sin. Despite material appearances, we are the effect of the divince cause, God. We are His reflection. Christ Jesus indicated this spiritual fact when he said, "The Son can no nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do." n3

n3 John 5:19.

Jesus constantly looked into the mirror of divine Sciences, the metaphysical reality of Mind, and patterned in daily living what he saw. He expressed God's loving nature by being loving, Mind's wisdom by being wise. He manifested Truth through integrity, Spirit through spiritual power, Soul through health. He saw that the reflection of God-given identity includes health -- that health is the harmony of God reflected. He proved what he understood of reflection by restoring health to the sick.

A friend once wrote me: "I fell on a patch of ice while carrying a portable record player. My ribs came down very hard on a corner of the player, and it was rather painful. I didn't pray much at the time, and made allowances for the discomfort for almost a year. Then I decided I wanted to know more of man as God's reflection. I began to look up and study references on 'reflection' in Mrs. Eddy's writings, using the Concordances to her works. I referred to these references frequently over the next few weeks. I vehemently claimed what they said as true about myself. Throughout each day I asserted my spiritual identity as a reflection of God. The most significant realization I had was that reflection is effortless. God's child does not work to become a perfect reflection: he is already. At that moment I knew I was healed. And so it was. All my subsequent activities have proved the healing complete."

In the mirror of divine Science we see not only our own identity and health but the healthy, spiritual view of relatives, neighbors, businesses, nations, governments. We see everyone and everything as God made them in His pure reflection. But sin, sickness, discord, hate -- all that is unlike God -- are not part of that true picture or mirrored image. They are delusions of darkness.

Reflection requires light -- the light of Christ. Through prayer and Christian living, darkness gives way to light. In the light of Christ, the idea of divine Love, evil dissolves as substanceless. The Christ releases abilities in us and increases capacities for more effortless and productive living -- living in the light of our real being as the sons and daughters of God. The more spiritually lovely our thought, the clearer the reflection, and the more active and healthy our lives. Mrs. Eddy writes, "The substance of all devotion is the reflection and demonstration of divine Love, healing sickness and destroying sin." n4

n4 Science and Health,m p. 241.

Dwelling in the light of Christ and living our true nature, the spiritual reflection of Love, bring holiness and health. DAILY BIBLE VERSE Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. My God hath sent his angel, and hat shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me. Daniel 6:21, 22