Brian’s Reflection: Thursday, July 16, 2009

Sin brought death, and death will
disappear with the disappearance of sin.

- Mary Baker Eddy, founder of “Christian Science”,
born on this day, 1821


First of all, sin did not bring death. This is BCO [Brian’s Considered Opinion]. Human beings have always been mortal and death has always been a given. You will of course, find both ideas in the Bible – Baker’s and mine, as well as St. Paul’s, and others. If we take this literally, it makes no sense. But, if we take it mystically, we understand what it means. Metaphorically, “death” is the “spiritual” state of having become a diminished human being by the failure to love. Metaphorically, “Life” is the opposite.

The loveliness is, it is possible for human beings to move “from death to life” in the proverbial twinkling of an eye. The only thing that is necessary is the willingness to recognize and be honest about our Unlovingness – and we all know, down deep, how unwilling we all are to be honest about this. Excuses, excuses, excuses; oh, we are so good excuses!

The joy of something like the Gospel is that it “proclaims the Good News”: confession and repentance - that is, self-honesty and the desire and determination to amend our ways – flips the coin. At one moment, we are “in death”, the next, we “live”.

I know almost nothing about Eddy – and actually I don’t really care to. She may have had a very literal mind about this. But whatever, mystically she is correct. As soon as we turn to love, Death “disappears”.

Not only does this make life on this earth wondrous. It also softens the distinction between Time and Eternity – opens up the “narrow gate” for us all to move through.

Sin is mystical death, and Love the resurrection to Life. We are free to choose, every moment or every day.

Brian+