A spiritual stillness within gives us an entrance to the prayer of love. Each of us, consciously or unconsciously, prays the prayer of love. In its stillness we feel a deep yearning ... to love, and to be loved. The response to this yearning is found in the Christ-consciousness, Jesus pointed to, “. . . behold, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21). I understand that to mean, the kingdom of God is the consciousness of God as Love. When we are able to be conscious of God as Love … wherever we are … we’ll see the manifestations of Love everywhere, and a spiritual optimism will take hold of us to help us smile, especially at challenging times. "As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man" (Proverbs 27:19).
A Christian Science practitioner, new on the job, was called to see a patient, and so he went and ... found his patient on his deathbed. Surprised, the practitioner leaned over the man, smiled, and said, “You can’t do this to me you are my first patient.” The man opened his eyes, looked at the practitioner, smiled back, and then he started to laugh, and he continued to laugh, and laugh … LOL! He was a changed man … he got off his deathbed, and was healed!
--Eva-Maria Hogrefe, C. S.—
a picture I took of the mountains around the Thuner Lake in Switzerland ... it was a rainy day ... but beautiful ...
I once read that realistic optimism, a paradoxical notion, implies seeing the world as it is, but always working positively toward a desired outcome or solution.
--Eva-Maria-
For the last time he gained the mountain's height:
The plains beneath him lay: we know he paused,
Now at the summit of his earthly path,
And gazed once more adown the dimming years:
…
How long he dwelt in silence none may know:
Till through the silence did the voice of God,
First faint yet sweet, come clearer and more clear,
Then louder with the thunder of the sea,
When Moses turned and earth fell from his sight;
Lost in the majesty of good, he saw
The wonder of the Infinite, the peace,
Turned wholly unto God and walked with Him!
--Alice Jacqueline Shaw, "Moses on Mount Nebo" (1923)—
this beautiful picture was taken by Australian Architect and Photographer Gary Finn, FS Architects Pty Limited, @ the time when he studied in China ...
Prayer is the utilization of the love
wherewith [God] loves us.
--No and Yes, by Mary Baker Eddy, p. 39—
No mortal sense can still or stay
The flight of silent prayer,
Unceasing, voiceless, heart desire
That seeks God everywhere.
The heart’s own longing lifts it high
Where words can never reach,
Though human lips may never form
That glory into speech.
The voices that are worldly wise,
With mortal modes in tune,
Are mute in that transcendent hour
When God and man commune.
--Samuel Greenwood—
The Mother Church & The Christian Science Publishing Society in Boston, Massachusetts
Mrs. Eddy speaking of one of the underpinnings of Christianity, pointed to the 91st Psalm. She explained that this Psalm “contains more practical theological and pathological truth than any other collection of the same number of words in human language except the Sermon on the Mount of the great Galilean and hillside Teacher,” She also said “that the first verse of this Psalm emphasizes an essential point of Christian attainment—dwelling ‘in the secret place of the most High’," and then she asked, “But what is the sacred secret of the Almighty? So far as experience teaches and truth has unfolded its immortal idea through spiritual sense, this secret is spiritual Love, whereon David has based all Christianity, all healing, all salvation” (Christian Healer, p. 172/173).
--Eva-Maria--
He that dwelleth in the secret place
of the most High
shall abide under the shadow
of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord,
He is my refuge,
and my fortress: my God;
in him will I trust.
…
painting by Vincent Hogrefe ... security specialist manager ... writer, poet, artist ... and more ...
In the illustrative
language of the Bible, the 91st Psalm gives us a brilliant example of God as Love. When spiritually perceived, the Psalm inspires in us a greater certainty of the blessings gained from turning to the might of spiritual Love. Our prayer—is our way of communicating with Love -- and gives us an opening to perceive Love’s might -- and what do we see? We learn to recognize the strength of holiness, wisdom, justice, peace, perfection, and so on. All these mighty qualities are not in conflict with one-another … instead these beautiful tones of spiritual Love enrich us moment-by-moment, and spiritually enriched we approach God and His reflection – His creation, including each of us -- not timidly but joyously. And we discover that He not only gives us a spiritual understanding of self, real peace, and security, but He is our real security and peace! I quote from Rudimental Divine Science. p. 8, by M.B. Eddy: “To sense, the lion of to-day is the lion of six-thousand years ago; but in Science, Spirit sends forth its own harmless likeness.”
It goes without saying that to succeed in our prayers we would have to enjoy our communication with LOVE so much that we live our prayers.
--Eva-Maria--
“He prayeth best who loveth best/All things both great and small;/For the dear God who loveth us,/He made and loveth all.” These beautiful lines from a poem by Coleridge express the essence of true prayer. --Eva-Maria--
“Our Master taught his disciples one brief prayer, which we name after him
the Lord’s Prayer.
OUR FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN,
Our Father-Mother God, all-harmonious,
HALLOWED BE THY NAME,
Adorable One.
THY KINGDOM COME.
Thy kingdom is come; Thou art ever-present.
THY WILL BE DONE IN EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
Enable us to know, -- as in heaven, so on earth,-- God is omnipotent, supreme.
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD;
Give us grace for to-day; feed the famished affections;
AND FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS, AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS.
And Love is reflected in love;
AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATON, BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL;
And God leadeth us not into temptation, but delivereth us from sin, disease, and death.
FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, AND THE POWER, AND THE GLORY, FOREVER.
For God is infinite, all power, all Life, Truth, Love, over all, and All.”
--Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 16-17,
by Mary Baker Eddy--
…prayer quickens activity, in the direction that is unerring.
–M. B. Eddy,
No and Yes, p. 39—
an evening snapshot along the Esplanade @ the Charles River in Boston …
In Christian Science every Christian Science treatment includes prayer, but not every prayer includes a Christian Science treatment. In our work, we feel encouraged to include humanity in our Daily Prayer, but this doesn’t mean that mankind has asked us for a Christian Science treatment. A treatment can only be given if it is requested of us … but praying, that is, thinking correctly about our fellowmen, and knowing that everybody has a right to feel God’s leading “hand” in his or her life, -- it is a truth we cherish, and pray with silently ... even if we are not asked to do so ... because we know
it only can bring blessings, and that
is our daily joy.
--Eva-Maria--
a picture taken on a a recent trip to the countyside -- apple-picking ... it was a lot of fun ...
The Bible advises, “Be careful for nothing,” that is, “Be a stranger to anxiety," and the Bible passage continues, “but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). And slowly, but steadily, we gain the conviction that something extraordinary is going on in our thought and life. It is a spiritual strengthening of thoughts, words, and deeds — a growing stronger in “a diviner sense of God”-- that says YES to Love and Life, a strength that grows out of our awareness of the fullness of pure Love —“and [our] cup runneth over . . .”
(Psalm 23).
--Eva-Maria-
Love ennobles our thoughts, words, and deeds, and we live the love we look for in others.
--Eva-Maria--
Can you see the squirl? I just made it to catch him climbing ...
Be honest, be true to thyself, and true to others; then it follows thou wilt be strong in God, the eternal good. … Heal through Truth and Love; there is no other healer.
--Rudimental Divine Science, p. 8--
A poet (John Greenleaf Whittier) once said, I paraphrase a bit, “[Love} (Truth) is one;/And in all lands beneath the sun,/Whoso hath eyes to see may see/the token of its unity.”
In our daily dealings with world events, and people, who require our support ... we need to defend thoughts from error and evil, through a sincere, truth-loving prayer that will help each of us to gain a healthy distance from misunderstandings and disturbances. Let’s keep in mind a kick against the shell cannot hurt the pearl. Christ Jesus said, “. . . let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil” (Matt. 5:37). --Eva-Maria--
There is a channel between
voice and existence, a way on which information come to us. The way opens up through thoughtful stillness, and closes through idle talk.
-- Sufi-poet Rumi--
A picture of the
Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina, taken by
Susannah West,
ASID, ... you can tangibly feel the stillness. ...
She wrote to me --
"I had such an inspiring time that day. ... It was raining, and I saw this
wonderful chance to take photos on this overlook. I was in heaven taking all those wonderful views ...The artist's soul overflowing, just like you! And C was very kind, putting up with my compulsion to run off in the rain and shoot photos! A perfect day!"
I came across a tiny article; entitled The Common Bond, in it the author shares the story of a man who lived long before Jesus. The man was a Roman, named Terence—who was raised to a class and nationality whose boast was, “I am a Roman; the world belongs to me.” This young man was the first to affirm the principle of a common kinship when he wrote, “I am a man; nothing that concerns mankind is alien to me.”
In speechless prayer and reverence
Dear Lord, I come to Thee.
--Hymn 151--
I bow before Thee & thee--
Eva-Maria
