October 15, 2014
http://www.christianscienceneworleans.org/ArchiveWedReadings.html
This Wednesday’s readings are on the later years of John the Baptist, but it could also be subtitled with his words: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” So perhaps a modern-day paraphrase would be “Deflating Ego.” And, there is also that proverbial question: “Is it better to be loved or to be right?”
At the end of the readings are some quotes about John the Baptist by Mrs. Eddy from Miscellaneous Writings. Also included are some Bible Notes and two articles by Helen Wood Bauman on John the Baptist. (If you look on jsh-online, you will discover that Ms. Bauman was a prolific author on this prophet since she wrote more than a dozen articles specifically about him! If you don’t have a subscription to jsh-online, and you want to read any of these articles, let me know.)
Next month is National Bible Week, and I really appreciated Ms. Bowman’s comments about the spiritual inspiration we gain from knowing our Bible characters. In her article, “The Blessing of Repentance,” she wrote:
Fortunate is he who has some knowledge of Christian Science and has thereby increased his ability to interpret the Scriptures spiritually. To him the Bible has become an indispensable daily guide. No longer do the experiences of individuals and nations referred to in the Bible seem merely isolated historical facts; instead, they represent states of consciousness common to all mankind, depicting the tests and triumphs which inevitably accompany the unfoldment of God’s word in human consciousness.
We are going to be reading more about John in December because of the connections between his birth and his cousin Jesus. In the meantime, I hope you are inspired and humbled about the later years of John the Baptist.
CMoore-Reflections 