NINE STEPS IN THE GROWTH OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER What follows is a comparision of the Beatitudes, The parable of the Prodigal Son and Mrs. Eddy's article on the Three Stages of Growth. Here are some introductory references:
"You are growing. The Father has sealed you, and the opening of these seals must not surprise you. The character of Christ is wrought out in our lives by just such processes. The tares and wheat appear to grow together until the harvest; then the tares are first gathered, that is, you have seasons of seeing your errors-and afterwards by reason of this very seeing, the tares are burned, the error is destroyed. Then you see Truth plainly and the wheat is 'gathered into barns,' it becomes permanent in the understanding."--From a letter by Mrs. Eddy to Frank Gale, one of her students. From
"We Knew Mary Baker Eddy", Second Series, Page 25.
S&H 291:5-9
We know that all will be changed "in the twinkling of an eye," when the last trump shall sound; but this last call of wisdom cannot come till mortals have already yielded to each lesser call in the growth of Christian character.
NOW LOOK AT MRES. EDDY'S ARTICLE:
Mis 355:9-12
This absolute demonstration of Science must be revived. To consummate this desideratum, mortal mind must pass through three stages of growth.
First, self-knowledge.
Mis 356:22-24
The second stage of mental development is humility. This virtue triumphs over the flesh; it is the genius of Christian Science.
Mis 357:19-21
The third stage of mental growth is manifested in love, the greatest of all stages and states of being; love that is irrespective of self, rank, or following.
NOW COMPARE THE ARTICLE TO THE BEATITUDES:
Matt 5:1-12
And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
NOW LOOK AT THE PRODIGAL SON PARABLE:
Luke 15:11-32
And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
Consider the relationship between the stages of growth in the character of the prodigal son and the nine Beatitudes. Then review "The Way" in Mis 355 and see if the three stages of growth do not apply to these nine steps. Consider:
SELF KNOWLEDGE
1. Self Examination: "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." If you are "rich" in spirit you don't feel you need any spirit. But if upon examination you see spiritual characteristics absent you seek them, in other words, you desire greater spirituality. Here the prodigal begins "to be in want" (Luke 15:14) Also look at the Daily Prayer (Man 41:19), which is really a prayer of self-examination!
2. Self-correction: "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted" encourages us to be willing to let go of that which before we were holding on to. Leaving old standpoints means leaving the field where we "feed swine", saying goodbye to "a citizen of that country" (the material body) (Luke 15:15-16) and see: Mis 119:10-13
3. Mental self-knowledge: "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth: The son's willingness to "come to himself" is the point of awakening to his real selfhood as the reflection of God. (Luke 15:17-19) & (see S&H 462:20-27) Meekness enables us to evaluate thought, establish self control and subordinate material thinking for divine truths.
HUMILITY
4. Communion (Coming to the Father): "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after rightousness: for they shall be filled." Our Leader tells us (Mis 1:15), "Humility is the stepping-stone to a higher recognition of Diety." In Luke 15: 19,20 the son "comes" to the Father as opposed to the previous text when he will "go" to the Father. In the latter instance he decides to do it whereas in the former he is drawn to the the Father. See the difference? The oneness of God is now so appearant that we are drawn to Him with a hunger and thirst so strong nothing can pull us away.
5. Compassion: "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." The father running to meet the son shows that complete forgeiveness is part of compassion. (Last sentence in Luke 15:20) Consider the story of Mary Magdalene (S&H 363:8-23) Don't hold grudges. It's not an honest position or thought about God's man; and honesty is one of the transitional or moral qualities along with compassion. (S&H 115:26-27) Don't be surprised if your honesty undergoes renovation when you truly learn to forgive.
6. Subordination of the human to the divine (Awakening to our purity): "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." In verse 21 we read, "...and am no longer worth to be called thy son." At this point of awakening we are no longer willing to accept ourself as mortal. When the mortal self is sufficiently subordinated to our true selfhood, then humility is sufficiently developed to be able to admit the completeness of our spiritual selfhood with no taint of error or impurity. (see S&H 222: 31-2)
LOVE
7. Peace and reconciliation: "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." Luke 15:22-24 restores the son's status. In like manner, through Christian Science, our understanding metaphysically of ourselves as the children of God is also restored. When man and God are at-one the basis of discord no longer exists. See My 121:7-13. The love that reflects God is without self-interest and allows us to maintain peaceful relations with others and with our own bodies. Our Leader tells us not to indulge in selflove by talking Christian Science without living it. See Man 45:4-13. It is our duty to promote peace and demonstrate the rules of divine Love!
8. Loving your enemies: "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Forgiveness, returning goodness for evil, shows that we see jealousy and hatred to be unreal and thus to have lost its hold on us. See how our Leader brings this out in the textbook on page 571:15-21. Read Jesus instruction in Matt 18:15-17. Look at Joseph's example in what he said to his brothers after they persecuted him. Gen 50:21,21 Also take the time to read "Love Your Enemies" by Mary Baker Eddy (Mis 8:8-15:3)
9. Joy and gratitude in the face of seeming discord: "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." Luke 15: yv 31-32 teaches us to rejoice in the face of what we thought was mistreatment. Look how knowing yourself through a correct concept of Love is explained by Mrs. Eddy-see S&H 359:11-14.
Remember evil's victories are only temporary, Truth is always the victor!