LOVE’s Grace Overthrows Condemnation

By

Julio C. Rivas, CS

LOVE’s grace allows us to overthrow condemning beliefs.  Sovereign SPIRIT-LOVE is the imperative cause of our timeless and enduring life, love, intelligence, health and resources. 

The eternal splendor of SOUL is ours to shine with.  No human fault or struggle can alter our celestial magnificence.  When we are certain of this we defeat our problems and enjoy the spiritual treasures of SOUL – such as wholeness, happiness, unity, achievement and love. 

Outstanding metaphysician and healer M. B. Eddy writes, “The eternal Truth destroys what mortals seemed to have learned from error, and man’s real existence as a child of God comes to light.”  Also, “Only by understanding that there is but one power, -- not two powers, matter and Mind, -- are scientific and logical conclusions reached.” 

Jesus’ healing of the ten lepers evinces SPIRIT-LOVE’s purifying and freeing power.  The story goes this way: “While traveling to Jerusalem, He passed between Samaria and Galilee. As He entered a village, 10 men with serious skin diseases met Him. They stood at a distance and raised their voices, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’  When He saw them, He told them, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ And while they were going, they were healed. (HCSB, Luke 17:11-14)

Lepers were ostracized by society.  Jewish priests taught that lepers were being punished by God for their sin.  Jesus knew it was going to require deep conviction and courage for the lepers’ thinking to overthrow materiality’s condemnation.  Their call to him for help evinced that they were ready to be free.   How admirable then that the lepers commenced their journey even before they were healed.  So great was their expectancy of healing. 

By heeding Jesus’ advice and setting out to show themselves to the priests the lepers were ejecting all condemnation and bathing in LOVE’s redemptive grace.  They were asserting their SOUL-given wholeness and freedom.  It is only natural that when they arrived at their destination they were healed. 

Jesus draws our attention to two other important points at the tail end of the story: gratitude and love.  He informs us that one of the ten lepers returned to thank him for his healing and that this one belonged to the community of Samaritans.  Because the Jews and Samaritans had great enmity toward each other Jesus is telling us that we will experience great healings and more of them by filling our hearts with gratitude and love. 

A woman I know was healed of a bad condition of psoriasis when she permitted LOVE’s grace to wash her heart/mind of deeply imbedded hurts and resentments.  The abuse she had suffered for years had straight-jacketed her life. 

In our conversations we had often asserted that LOVE’s love is natural to man’s being and that our welcoming of this fact redeems us mentally, emotionally and physically. 

She later told me that the full healing came over her while driving home from work.  As she came over a hill she saw the sunset and it made her think of how she was being bathed by LOVE’s effulgence.  All hurts and resentments vanished.  Gratitude, love and joy filled her. 

Everyone’s Christ-spirit can overthrow unjust, material decrees and assert LOVE’s health, bounty and freedom.  LOVE-MIND’s superlative elements make up our eternal, outstanding substance. 

We pertain to SPIRIT and are protected by LOVE.  TRUTH’s revelations shatter the illusion of material illness, dread, lack and failure. 

MIND’s spiritual wisdom and power suffuses with healing grace and direct us to successful outcomes.  

Love-Impelled Duty and Privilege

Love-Impelled Duty and Privilege

By

Julio C. Rivas, CS

Jesus Christ declared, “And these signs shall follow them that believe: In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them. They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”

 

Magnificent metaphysician and healer, M. B. Eddy, wrote: “It is possible, -- yea, it is the duty and privilege of every child, man, and woman, -- to follow in some degree the example of our Master by the demonstration of Truth and Life, of health and holiness” (S&H). 

Love-Spirit is filling us every instant with infinite spiritual resources and abilities.  Hence, we have a duty to ourselves and others to live and impart our innate, Christly endowments.  What makes it a privilege is that by drawing on our divine gifts we augment wellness in us and everyone. 

It is Spirit’s ever-presence in us – the ubiquitous Christ-spirit – which capacitates us to resolve confounding problems, to supplant sickness with health, to enjoy improved relationships, and to succeed in life. 

Love-Spirit is infinite goodness.  It is preeminent in our spiritual constitution and throughout its divine universe.  The dominant, health-goodness-multiplying energies of Love surround, nurture, and sculpt our spiritual lives. 

When we connect mentally and emotionally with Love we experience redemption and advancement.  The Christ-spirit takes over and ejects ignorance, fault, guilt, pain, illness and failure. 

Love-Mind’s illuminating insights alter our thought, body and behavior.  They enhance our character and decisions, and they infuse us with superior health and talents. 

Love-Truth’s superlative and imperious goodness suffuses all spiritual existence.  Our cognizance of this has extensive beneficial repercussions.  It exterminates all harmful influences, removes obstructions, and reconstructs our lives. 

Love’s matter-exterminating concepts free us to experience the irrepressible energies of Spirit.  By improving our motives and actions Truth’s intelligent ideas allow us to enjoy more of Spirit’s exponential forces of health, intelligence, grace and bounty. 

We read in the New Testament that when Jesus is about to commence his Sermon on the Mount he sits down first.  When he is about to multiply the loaves and fish in order to feed the thousands he asks them to sit down first.  The “sitting down” may be interpreted as doing what is necessary to relax and clear thought for Love.  Then we can receive and give of Mind-Love’s bountiful wisdom and riches. 

A man who was in great pain caused by a tumor the size of a grapefruit went from a state of extreme distress and fear to feel the comforting and assuring peace of Love’s presence.  We had been talking and praying about his Love-asserted wholeness when the fog of suffering began to part.  He fell asleep and when he woke up he was completely well.  He noticed that the tumor had exited his body and was on the bed next to him. 

Our clear and calm trust in the imperial goodness and efficacy of Love-Life ejects out of our humanity everything that is not endemic to our Spirit-enforced constitution.   

 Life’s harmony-enforcing might liberates us from the beliefs of sin and suffering.  Truth acts on our thought and infuses health and goodness into our bodies, our character, our relationships, and into our business dealings. 

Love treasures us as the confirmation of its own glorious being.  Therefore, we are loved by Love in a way that is infinitely more dependable than human love.  This may not be clear to us when the fog of material troubles is ruling us, but as we make the effort to let in Love’s effulgence then we feel subsumed by it. 

Love-Truth drives our duty and privilege to express Love.

LOVE-Parenting: For All and By All

LOVE-Parenting: For All and By All

 

By

 

Julio C. Rivas

 

 

 

What makes a good parent?  Good parenting is natural when we are reflecting LOVE-GOD. 

 

Jesus Christ understood that man is united to his divine progenitor, which is SPIRIT-LOVE.  We read in the New Testament that Jesus calls LOVE-GOD “Abba” (or “daddy” in a modern context) when he is preparing to face his crucifixion.  He is drawing on the empyrean love and power that only his heavenly parent, his LOVE-PRINCIPLE, can give him. 

 

The apostle Paul also refers to GOD-SOUL as “Abba.” He explains that by implementing Jesus’ examples anyone can discover man’s privileged, spiritual status and their connectivity to MOTHER-FATHER-LOVE. 

 

Paul writes, “Because you are now part of God’s family, He sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts; and the Spirit calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’  You no longer have to live as a slave because you are a child of God. And since you are His child, God guarantees an inheritance is waiting for you.” (TV, Gal. 4: 6- 7).

 

We feel catalyzed by love and generosity when we recognize that humanity belongs to LOVE’s divine family.  The one all-inclusive PRINCIPLE-MIND subsumes us within its limitless and irrepressible health, beauty and intelligence.  The SOUL-US is GOD, and it has blended our unique, celestial compositions with its overflowing harmony and love

 

SPIRIT is our superlative Parent, the all-protective LOVE.  Marvelous spiritual healer M. B. Eddy writes, “Father-Mother is the name for Deity, which indicates His tender relationship to His spiritual creation” (S&H p. 332:4-5).  And she also says that “Man and woman as coexistent and eternal with God forever reflect, in glorified quality, the infinite Father-Mother, God” (S&H p. 516: 21).

 

This brilliant thinker also points out the weakness and, sometimes, the wickedness of fleshly ties when she writes, "mortals, or the 'children of men' in material sense, are discordant and ofttimes false brethren."  But then she adds that "Immortals, or God's children in divine Science, are one harmonious family."  (S & H 444:27) 

 

TRUTH-LOVE is the definer of our spiritual identities.  Hence, sexual gender cannot limit our spiritual capacity to express the fatherhood and motherhood of LOVE-PRINCIPLE.  For example, we reflect the tenderness of LOVE’s motherhood as well as the strength of PRINCIPLE’s fatherhood.  In addition, SOUL-PRINCIPLE is indivisible, and everyone’s spiritual selfhood is endowed with the full range of divine qualities. 

 

Christ Jesus demonstrated the mutually supportive qualities of compassion and firmness, forgiveness and authority, gentleness and strength because he reflected the wholeness of SOUL.  All -- male, female, adult and children -- reflect the completeness of our parental SOUL.

 

LOVE’s healing love is universal.  It is not meant to be confined to our homes.  We can embrace everyone and everything with MIND’s intelligent grace.  Because we are empowered by MIND’s qualities we can impart and receive healing.  This why children can uplift and inspire adults.  It is also why we can improve a receptive work environment; and why a stranger can instill loving joy and wisdom in us. 

 

Our SOUL-derived abilities enable us to throw away prideful, fearful and sclerotic attitudes and to express, with precision and adaptability, the appropriate ideas and qualities called for by a particular moment and situation.  We are then parenting more like how SOUL-LOVE parents everyone. 

 

The apostle Paul opens our thinking/hearts to the forces of divine LOVE which are innate to our being.  He declares: “We love because He has first loved us. If someone claims, “I love God,” but hates his brother or sister, then he is a liar. Anyone who does not love a brother or sister, whom he has seen, cannot possibly love God, whom he has never seen.  He gave us a clear command, that all who love God must also love their brothers and sisters.” (TV, 1 John 4: 19-21)

 

Paul knows that everything good starts with our progenitor, infinite LOVE, who is the center and fountain of all spiritual being and harmonious action.  By being in rhythm with this profound concept we understand our spiritual interconnectivity with all existence and corroborate it with right actions. 

 

Parents who were suffering from ongoing conflicts and misunderstandings with their children have called on me to help them find resolution.  I have helped them discover more of one another’s spiritual endowments and to cherish and nurture them. 

 

Our discussions, prayers and the persistent implementation of new ideas have helped their children make a comeback from drug/alcohol addiction, suicidal tendencies and other troubles.  They have become whole again. 

 

When parents learn to listen better to their children and to welcome and implement their input the entire family takes pleasure in problem-solving together.  Parents can learn to give up having to be right.  They can learn to ask their children for help in a variety of ways.  When this happens then all family members are parenting each other with LOVE-MIND’s wisdom, selflessness and generosity.

 

A successful, intelligent and loving family dynamic is natural when we are applying our spiritual attributes. 

 

It is so fulfilling to “parent” the world around us.  MIND-LOVE’s parenting is a joy to receive and express. 

 

 

We Are the Opus of MIND

We Are the Opus of MIND

 

By

 

Julio C. Rivas, CS

 

 

Throughout human history science has been finding explanations for phenomena that were previously viewed as either (1) designed by an anthropomorphic God or (2) merely accidental.

 

Up until the 90s most scientists regarded the belief in God as non-scientific.  And whatever phenomena had previously been viewed as accidental, or random, was understood to be the natural outcome of the fundamental laws of nature.  Material laws that scientists had discovered elucidated most of our daily existence.  For instance, physical laws explicate the what, how and why of the shape of a snowflake, the orbits of planets, the trajectory of a thrown object, the shape of the sun and planets, and much more.

 

Then theoretical physicists found that their principles were insufficient to explain the fine precision with which human existence developed.  They realized that if the fundamental parameters (principles) of our known material universe were slightly different, then physical life, as we know it, would not exist. This was perplexing to them.

 

Therefore, they asked themselves, “What caused our known universe to be created with such exactitude?” Is it God, or accident?

 

Not even the detection of “dark energy” in 1998 provided answers to this conundrum. Dark energy, by the way, is the invisible energy making up ¾ of the total energy of the universe, speeding up its expansion.  A microscopic more or less of dark energy would disallow the existence of our known universe.  Its discovery left physicists amazed at the precision, or fine-tuning, upholding our existence.  For some it represents evidence of an Intelligent Creator; for others it testifies to randomness.

 

Because the theological concept of intelligent design -- that is, an anthropomorphic God behind everything -- does not appeal to most scientists, they have returned to the age-old explanation of existence by accident. But they tweaked it a bit.

 

They describe it as the theory of innumerable, multiple universes which are randomly created (meaning, they are merely accidental creations).  Furthermore, each universe has its own particular laws. Therefore, they do not believe it is possible to come up with a set of fundamental laws that can explain all existence.

 

Not all scientists buy into the random, multi-verse theory.  A minority of scientists agree with the view held by a large number of theologians and philosophers that an anthropomorphic God, engaged in extensive fine-tuning, is the cause of our existence.

 

Let us consider a spiritual explanation.  Invisible to the physical senses, and incomprehensible to matter-trapped reasoning, is the ever-unfolding, limitless realm of SPIRIT-INTELLIGENCE.

 

SPIRIT-INTELLIGENCE does not work with, nor is it limited by, matter. We can regard matter to be a hologram of a matter-trapped, spiritually-ignorant consciousness.

 

Also, SPIRIT-INTELLIGENCE is not an anthropomorphic designer because it produces only matter-free, spiritual existence.  Since the term “anthropic” comes from the Greek word for "human man,” it cannot describe the incorporeal, perfect and immortal designs of infinite SPIRIT-INTELLIGENCE.

 

Material science is making amazing discoveries in how to manipulate matter.  In the not-too-distant future new discoveries in molecular, atomic, and sub-atomic engineering might do away with traditional procreation, birth, death, aging, DNA and much more.

 

As impressive as these material advances may be, it will be more rewarding to discover the boundless life-possibilities that emanate from understanding SPIRIT-INTELLIGENCE.

 

Spiritual man and spiritual universe exist as the everlasting and magnificent SELF-expression of the preeminent SPIRIT-EGO. Excellence of substance and being are fundamental laws of our spiritual universe and of our incorporeal, immortal individualities.

 

SPIRIT-LIFE generates immeasurable and unending beauty, health, love, and power in spiritual man and throughout its divine universe. By becoming more cognizant of SPIRIT-LOVE we prove these divine attributes and shed material shackles.

 

Our mental synchronicity with SPIRIT-LOVE exudes spiritual power and wholeness. It makes it natural to discard old influences like fear, selfishness, hatred, envy, revenge, murder, and sickness.

 

Yes, there is an intelligent designer, but it is not an anthropomorphic deity, responsible for a material universe. It is SPIRIT-INTELLIGENCE, who works with precision in manifesting a spiritual realm teeming with harmonious, immaculate spiritual beings.

 

To a matter-blinded mindset there may be random, innumerable, material multiverses, but to a spiritually attuned consciousness, all is the manifestation of SPIRIT-LIFE, and it is infinite, perfect, ever-unfolding, beautiful and majestic.

 

MIND’s Inexhaustible Resources Are Ours

MIND’s Inexhaustible Resources Are Ours

Joseph was thirty years old when he began serving the king of Egypt. And he left the king’s court and traveled through all the land of Egypt.  During the seven good years, the crops in the land grew well. And Joseph gathered all the food produced in Egypt during those seven years of good crops and stored the food in the cities. In every city he stored grain that had been grown in the fields around that city. (NCV, Gen. 41-46-48)

Eddy: “It is the prerogative of the ever-present, divine Mind, and of thought which is in rapport with this Mind, to know the past, present, and the future.” 

MIND is our inexhaustible generator of intelligence, creativity, perceptiveness, foresight, insight, valor and opportunities.   Age and circumstances cannot hinder our reflection of MIND’s innumerable assets.  Joseph’s communion with MIND propelled his foresight, generosity, integrity and courage.  It elevated him to a position of power and opportunity within Egypt. This allowed him to prepare Egypt well for the seven years of drought and save thousands of lives.  It also gave him the opportunity to re-unite with his family.  Befuddling, obstreperous, and complicated conditions are resolved by the wisdom and resources we obtain from MIND. 

SOUL-US Individualizes, Coalesces and Embellishes Man

                                           SOUL-US Individualizes, Coalesces and Embellishes Man


“You must actively help the hungry and feed the oppressed. Then your light will dispel the darkness, and your darkness will be transformed into noonday. The LORD will continually lead you; he will feed you even in parched regions. He will give you renewed strength, and you will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring that continually produces water.” (Is. 58: 10-11)

Eddy: “Soul has infinite resources with which to bless mankind, and happiness would be more readily attained and would be more secure in our keeping, if sought in Soul.”

SOUL-MIND’s inexhaustible resources and abilities actuate and enhance our lives.  Because our immortal individualities are concordant with SOUL-LOVE, our wellness, talents and means are limitless.  SOUL is the supernal I and Us, and this makes us spiritually connected and interdependent with one another and with all.  We possess more health, prosperity and fulfillment by cognizing that everyone belongs to and is defined by the superlative SOUL-US.  This makes it natural to celebrate others’ good and to share our good with everyone. 

Re-calibrate to TRUTH and Be Healed

Re-calibrate to TRUTH and Be Healed

by

Julio C. Rivas, CS

As he stepped out onto land, a madman from town met him; he was a victim of demons. He hadn’t worn clothes for a long time, nor lived at home; he lived in the cemetery. When he saw Jesus he screamed, fell before him, and bellowed, “What business do you have messing with me? You’re Jesus, Son of the High God, but don’t give me a hard time!” (The man said this because Jesus had started to order the unclean spirit out of him.) Time after time the demon threw the man into convulsions. He had been placed under constant guard and tied with chains and shackles, but crazed and driven wild by the demon, he would shatter the bonds.  Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “Mob. My name is Mob,” he said, because many demons afflicted him. And they begged Jesus desperately not to order them to the bottomless pit. A large herd of pigs was browsing and rooting on a nearby hill. The demons begged Jesus to order them into the pigs. He gave the order. It was even worse for the pigs than for the man. Crazed, they stampeded over a cliff into the lake and drowned. Those tending the pigs, scared to death, bolted and told their story in town and country. People went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had been sent, sitting there at Jesus’ feet, wearing decent clothes and making sense. (TM, Luke 8:27-35)

Eddy: “The effect of this Science is to stir the human mind to a change of base, on which it may yield to the harmony of the divine Mind.”  And, “The arguments to be used in curing insanity are the same as in other diseases: namely, the impossibility that matter, brain, can control or derange mind, can suffer or cause suffering; also the fact that truth and love will establish a healthy state, guide and govern mortal mind or the thought of the patient, and destroy all error, whether it is called dementia, hatred, or any other discord.”

The state of dementia became more agitated when Jesus ordered it out of the man.  The disturbed consciousness gave Jesus his due but requested to be left alone.  This is an example of how mistaken thought/behavioral patterns try to stroke our human ego and deceive us so they can avoid being destroyed.  In spite of the dementia’s insidiousness and resistance it was destroyed by the Christ-spirit and the man was healed.  The demons’ request to enter the pigs that ran off the cliff is an addendum which enters the story to appease a Jewish religious audience which believes that trading in pig meat is a sin.  A broader interpretation is that immoral motives and actions are self-destructive. Even better, let us know that our innate Christly spirit can destroy a mob of material problems.  All material problems are a type of “insanity” in the sense that they are not in balance with MIND.  Christ-sense re-calibrates us to MIND-SPIRIT and this heals us.