The Mystery of Individual
Unfoldment
Nona L. Brooks
Mysteries,
1924.
Divine Science Federation
Int’l
3rd Printing, 1977.
Copyright Material
Reprinted by Permission
Mysteries
are shadows; only he who looks down sees
the dark places. Tradition and
superstition cast their shadows around
them; but truth and wisdom dispel the
gloom. Men have lingered too long in the
dark places; truth is calling us into the
light. Some of us are tempted to stay a
little longer in the valleys of
ignorance, even though the sunlit
stretches of open country lie just above.
There seems to be something that holds us
in the valley, and Something that calls
us to come up out of the limited places
into the full light. The something that
tells us to stay seems to be the voice of
the self which race thought has implanted
in us; and sometimes we stay a little
longer becoming more mystified while we
wait.
There has
been an attempt in this volume to solve
some of what the world calls the greatest
mysteries by directing the searcher to
follow the highway that leads to God.
Are you
saying, "Yes, I can see that there is a
solution for the mysteries connected with
the general experiences of mankind--life,
death, matter, sin, sickness, old age;
but what about the mysteries connected
with the personal experiences in the
individual lives"? What are the answers
to questions like the following: Why did
this come to me and not to you? I am not
responsible for this condition, why
should I suffer? Why did my loved one
have to leave me? Why, why, why? Are you
trying to see why this experience came to
you because it was you who was affected?
Is one of these the mystery for which you
demand a solution? The first step to take
in solving what we call the personal
mysteries is that of shifting our center
of interest from the continual stress on
self to a contemplation of the good of
the whole. Instead of asking the
question, why did this come to me; let
our query be, what can I do with this
situation? It is an opportunity for some
kind of service or for a step in my
development. It is by rising out of the
personal self into the consciousness of
our oneness with universal Life, that we
solve all mysteries. Infinite Mind does
not work in mysterious ways but in open
and infinite ways, its wonders to
perform. There is always the rising
process we call the Resurrection. What is
the goal to which we are lifting our
lives? It is God-Consciousness.
The closing
chapter of this book tells the story of
the resurrection as attained by Jesus, a
true son of God. I trust that we shall
find here a practical method of coming up
over limitation into the consciousness of
resurrection. Resurrection, the greatest
event in the individual’s story, is
also the greatest event in the history of
the race. If we understood the principle
back of the resurrection, we should touch
truth universal which applies to every
one of us at the present day. Jesus
reached the culmination of life process
in the individual.
Resurrection
is the culmination of life process in the
one who lives in the resurrection
consciousness; it is the end of one
process and the beginning of another.
Since the process of resurrection is
taking place in every one of us, the
event which we speak of as the
Resurrection is especially significant to
each individual. We all feel the Law of
Life working within us; it is urging us
upward and on. As we are led by the
spirit of light into more and more truth,
our vision broadens, and we come into a
clearer realization of what it means to
live truth as Jesus did. There is great
comfort and joy in knowing that we, too,
share in the process of resurrection, and
are capable of attaining to the glory of
even a resurrection morn, as Jesus
did.
The story of
Jesus reveals to us the history of the
life process from its earthly beginning
to its glorious outcome, from the manger
to the cross, through the sepulchre to
resurrection, from the babe to the risen
Jesus. The man Jesus attained as you and
I must attain; he rose out of limitation
moment by moment. Is it not interesting
to watch Jesus’ unfoldment as a
lesson for our own lives. Think of the
glory of the culmination--through the
sepulchre into the resurrection morn.
How did
Jesus accomplish the resurrection? He
taught, "I am the way, the truth, and the
life." He lived true to God-Presence; he
realized the immediacy of the Presence.
What do we mean by the immediate Presence
and Power of God? It means knowing and
feeling the Presence of God active in
every moment of our lives. It means the
realization of God’s Presence in
the smallest experiences of life as well
as in the greatest. God’s Presence
is Life.
As God was a
father to Jesus and the source of his
living and of his thinking, so let it be
with us. God was also the companion of
Jesus always; therefore Jesus was never
alone. You and I need never be alone
either, if we think as Jesus thought.
Jesus saw himself as God’s
opportunity for expression; he, the
individual, was an opportunity for the
expression of God---Wisdom, Love, Power,
Life, Joy. Jesus was certain of God;
hence when something came that needed a
special exercise of power and love, Jesus
spoke the word with authority. He knew
the Father as immediate Presence, as the
Source of all his individual power. His
attitude was one of intimate association
with the Father. There was one dark
moment on the cross, and probably a short
time in the struggle at Gethsemane when
he may have felt a fleeting moment of
separation. However, these experiences
were so rare that they need not be dwelt
upon.
Out of
Jesus’ deep love for God grew his
first commandment, and out of his all
inclusive love for his fellow men grew
his second commandment. Jesus’ love
for God was expressed in his love for
men. He understood the meaning of the
great word love; we so often miss the
true meaning of this most wonderful of
all words. Love is God; and to touch a
life radiant with love is to touch God.
This greatest of all lives that was ever
lived was radiant with love and beauty,
power and joy. The two commandments which
this great teacher gave us are the basis
of all true living.
Jesus lived
the most powerful life the world has ever
known, because he kept these two
commandments in letter and in spirit.
Jesus was interested in the multitude; he
was also interested in the individual.
When he touched the multitude, his heart
yearned over them; he was so eager to
show all of his brother men the meaning
of the great realization that he had come
into. Some were not ready for his
message, it is true; but nothing was
lost. Through his living, Jesus put
something into the race which has been
the foundation of all the greatest
movements that have arisen in the
development of mankind. His teaching is
embodied in all of the great ideals of
mankind. The Christ ideal is steadily
expanding into more and more practical
movements for the benefit of mankind.
There is a constant increase in the
number of those who are consecrating
their lives in human service. People are
seeing the truth of the human family, and
are realizing a greater love for its
individual members. The message of
brotherhood is being carried to the ends
of the earth by followers of Jesus, the
friend of God and man. We are getting
together; even though there are wide
distances still apparent. The coming
together movement holds out great
promise.
The
teachings of Jesus are being embodied in
more movements today than ever before.
The Christ principle is practiced by many
persons who are not church members. There
is at present a feeling among many that
the church is not fulfilling its mission.
I like to attend general meetings even if
there is opposition to the churches
expressed by the speakers who feel that
the church does not see and embody the
message of Jesus.
There are
many indictments against the church which
accuse us of teaching Jesus but not
living according to his precepts. If
these indictments are true the church
must listen to the charge, and change its
methods. The ministers and the people are
responsible for righting the wrong; we
must see to it that the Christ principle
is practiced as well as preached. It is
interesting that in meetings and all
kinds of gatherings where the church is
criticized, one never hears a word
against Jesus, the man. Every one agrees
that the practice of the principles which
he taught would accomplish immeasurable
good. I listen to those who say that the
church is not fulfilling its mission
among men, and I feel that there is truth
in what they are saying. However, I
believe that it is not nearly so much a
matter of not understanding the teachings
of Jesus, as it is of not being willing
to live up to as much as we understand,
that gives ground for the charge.
Doubtless we
are not living up to the best that we
know; but there is this to be said: the
fundamental principle of true living is
eternal progression. There is no final
attainment in progressive achieving.
There is always the next achievement and
the next. If we were satisfied that we
are living up completely to the
principles that Jesus taught, there would
be no more steps to take. Our vision
would not be as high as we in our ideal
of eternal unfoldment in consciousness
would have it. As I listen to what is
being said of the Christian church today,
I feel a greater call within me to hold
up before our people the Christ
principles and the Christ life, in order
that we may be resurrecting our lives day
by day with greater power.
The two
great outstanding principles of
Resurrection are conscious oneness with
God and love of our fellow men.
Establishing a steady realization of the
immediate presence of God is the
essential of true living. It is true that
all Life is one; we must live up to this
truth, and meet men as brothers in every
experience of the day. You remember that
Jesus fed the multitude spiritually, but
also that when they hungered physically
he gave them food. Some of us attain to a
vivid consciousness of love for humanity;
but others say to me, "Oh yes, I love all
people, but there are certain individuals
toward whom I cannot feel love." I say to
you that there is still something else
for you to accomplish. What are you going
to do about the unlovable ones? We must
love them as Jesus did, if we hope to
attain to the resurrection consciousness.
Jesus could never have attained to this
consciousness, if he had divided people
into two classes: those he loved and
those he did not. Do you remember how
patient Jesus was with Nicodemus, a ruler
of the Jews? He tried to give him a
message of truth in a loving way. I like
to think of the understanding that Jesus
expressed for the woman of Samaria, and
also for the loving spirit he showed
toward the rich young man who appeared so
eager to inherit eternal life, but who
was so unwilling to give up his personal
possessions. Again, I like to picture
that day in Jerusalem, when Zaccheus,
chief among the publicans, hence
unpopular among the people, being small
of stature but very eager to see Jesus as
he passed that way, climbed a sycamore
tree in order that he might have a better
view of the great teacher. There was
evidently in this man a deep desire to
come into touch with Jesus; hence, he
took this way of making his purpose sure.
Can you imagine Zaccheus’ surprise
when Jesus, looking up and seeing him,
said, "Make haste, and come down, for
today I must abide at thy house"? Do you
still say to me, "I love everybody--well,
almost everybody"? I suppose that we
would put Zaccheus into the almost
everybody class; from the external he was
not lovable, it is true, but he needed
Jesus more than anyone else in the group;
and this great one who always lived by
principle, knew the need and acted
accordingly. This is what I mean be
love--a love that pours itself out, an
all-inclusive love. If we are to attain
to the resurrection consciousness, we,
too, must have it.
The
resurrection consciousness is the
consciousness that raises the body from a
belief in mortality to a certainty of
Life Eternal. It is the consciousness of
Universal Love. Love on the lips is good
as far as it goes; but love in the heart,
the love that calls Zaccheus and goes
with him to his home, is necessary in
order to attain. The love that met the
need of every one around him is the love
that Jesus felt and practiced and taught.
As this love illumined the life of Jesus,
so does it illumine yours and mine. It is
the true light of the world.
Jesus met
every human need. The fact that he
experienced all phases of what we call
our human problems brings him closer to
us. The dark hour in Gethsemane when he
went alone to pray at the time of deep
need touches our hearts, and shows us
that the Master was human, too. After the
struggle in Gethsemane Jesus arose and
went forth, saying, "Father, not my will,
but thine be done." Can we follow him in
this experience? It was his great
resurrection moment. He had come up over
personal feelings, and was standing in
the consciousness of Divine Will. He
yielded himself to the cross to show
humanity the glory of the resurrection
process. Perfect consecration and
absolute faith were essential in his
development, as they are in ours. Shall
we rise with him up to that triumphant
moment when none of the outer things can
touch us?
Peter, who
had not reached the resurrection
consciousness, when the soldiers came to
take Jesus, saw only the outer injustice
of the proceeding and cut off a
soldier’s ear. Jesus, with great
love, healed the ear. When just preceding
the crucifixion the accusers of Jesus
tried to humiliate him, Jesus met them
with the same unswerving love. They did
not really touch him. On the cross at the
time when most of us would be saying,
"Why, why, are they crucifying me? Why,
why, why?" Jesus, who knew that why is a
sign of unbelief, said, entirely free
from any rebellious feeling, "Father
forgive them, they know not what they
do!" Are we forgiving as Jesus was? Are
we praying that our ignorance may be
lifted? Only then shall we know the truth
of Being. Are we thinking of others with
love and consideration? Do we see them as
our brothers? When Jesus looked down from
the cross, and saw his mother standing
beside the disciple whom he loved, he
said to her, "Woman, behold thy son." And
to the beloved disciple he said, "Son,
behold thy mother." Jesus saw that his
mother would be lonely, and consequently
he was entrusting her to his
friend’s care. Even on the cross
Jesus’ first thought was for
others. He never failed to apply the
principle of universal love; Jesus was
consistent. His was the resurrection
love.
When Jesus
saw Mary weeping before the empty tomb,
although he knew that if she could see
the whole in the process, she would not
weep, he sympathized with her human
loneliness, and comforted her with the
assurance, "I ascend unto my Father and
your Father; and to my God and your God."
Jesus, who had passed through the
darkness of the sepulchre guided by Love
supreme, still understood the human love
of Mary. Because of this conscious love
there came that first resurrection
morning, the blessedness of which has
been felt ever since.
The world
today needs resurrection. Just as there
was first century resurrection, so let
there be a twentieth century
resurrection. This resurrection time will
be brought about by the spirit of
consecration in your heart and in mine
which says with Jesus, "Thy will be done
in us." Resurrection will be brought
about by our own thought process. It is
that consciousness which loves without
wavering. The resurrection consciousness
is the complete consciousness; it
includes the whole man--soul and
body.
I hope that
many of us who read this chapter will
find that today is a day of
resurrection--a day in which our lives
are being lived closer to Divine
Consciousness than ever before; as we
attain to the resurrection consciousness
our lives become radiations of unwavering
love for our fellow men. Is this a day of
resurrection for you? Test your attitude
toward God and man--then answer to
yourself. He who attains the resurrection
consciousness becomes a saviour in
whatever age he lives. Let us become
twentieth century saviours. God is
working through us; let us give Him an
opportunity to speak and act through us
to His highest purpose. We are
God’s opportunities. Consider well.
Outstreaming love shining from our lives
is proof that our day of resurrection is
here. If we meet all demands of the days
with love we shall rise out of our
limitations for Love is Resurrection.
It is by the
process of resurrection that we rise out
of the contemplation of that which is
hidden, the mysteries as we have called
these, into the full light where
everything is made clear. There is
nothing hidden that shall not be revealed
to the one who sees the unity of Life. We
are rising into a recognition of the
glory of process when we stand before a
blade of grass and see that even this is
wonderful. Are we leaving the mysteries
behind us as we rise, or are we lifting
these old mysteries into the wonder of it
all!
* * * * *
Mysteries
Table of
Contents
(Formerly at
Northwoods Divine Science Resource
Center)
