Readings for September 1, 2021

From The Bible

3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
(Genesis 1:3)

3 O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, ...
(Psalms 43:3 (to ,))

9 ¶ And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, ...
11 Deliver me, I pray thee, ...
24 ¶ And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
(Genesis 32:9 (to 5th ,), 11 (to 2nd ,), 24, 26, 28)

2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: ...
6 ... and his name shall be called Wonderful, ...
6 ... The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9:2, 6 (to 1st :), 6 2nd and (to 2nd ,), 6 2nd The)

1 In the beginning was the Word, ...
1 ... and the Word was God.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
(John 1:1 (to 1st ,), 1 2nd and, 4, 9, 14)

6 ... God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
(II Corinthians 4:6 God)

12 ¶ Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, ...
13 ... he came and dwelt in Capernaum, ...
14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; ...
17 ¶ From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, ...
(Matthew 4:12 (to ,), 13 he (to 2nd ,), 14, 16 (to ;), 17 (to 2nd ,))

12 ... I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
(John 8:12 I)

30 And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them:
(Matthew 15:30)

1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: ...
2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
21 ¶ Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; ...
22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: ...
23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee;
24 ... first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
43 ¶ Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, ...
44 ... and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: ...
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, ...
12 ... forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: ...
(Matthew 5:1 (to 1st :), 2, 21 (to ;), 22 (to 1st :), 23, 24 first, 43, 44 (to 2nd ,), 44 and, 45 (to :); 6:9 (to ,), 12 forgive, 14, 15; 7:12 (to :))

12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: ...
13 ¶ Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? ...
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
(Matthew 5:12 (to 2nd :), 13 (to ?), 14, 16)

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, ...
8 For ...
8 ... now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
(Ephesians 4:31, 32; 5:1, 2 (to 2nd ,), 8 (to For), 8 now)

12 ... let us put on the armour of light.
19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
(Romans 13:12 2nd let; 14:19)

5 ... come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.
(Isaiah 2:5 come)

Selections from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy

3 "Let there be light," Inadequate theories of creation
is the perpetual demand of Truth and Love,
changing chaos into order and discord into the
6 music of the spheres.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 255:3–6)

9 This Light preced‐ing the sun
light is not from the sun nor from volcanic flames, but it
is the revelation of Truth and of spiritual ideas.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 504:9–11)

All things were made by Him;
and without Him was not anything made that was made.
In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. - John.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 501:-2)

Did the origin and the enlightenment of the race come
18 from the deep sleep which fell upon Adam? Sleep is
darkness, but God's creative mandate was, "Let there be
light."
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 556:17–20 (to 1st .))

15 We are sometimes led to believe that darkness is as real
as light; but Science affirms darkness to be only a mortal
sense of the absence of light, at the coming of Light and darkness
18 which darkness loses the appearance of reality.
So sin and sorrow, disease and death, are the suppositional
absence of Life, God, and flee as phantoms of error before
21 truth and love.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 215:15)

9 Truth and Love enlighten the understanding, in whose
"light shall we see light;" and this illumination is re-
flected spiritually by all who walk in the light and turn
12 away from a false material sense.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 510:9)

Jacob was alone, wrestling with error, - struggling
with a mortal sense of life, substance, and intelligence
18 as existent in matter with its false pleasures Wrestling of Jacob
and pains, - when an angel, a message from
Truth and Love, appeared to him and smote the sinew,
21 or strength, of his error, till he saw its unreality; ...
Then said
24 the spiritual evangel: "Let me go, for the day breaketh;"
that is, the light of Truth and Love dawns upon thee.
But the patriarch, perceiving his error and his need
27 of help, did not loosen his hold upon this glorious light
until his nature was transformed.

... the messenger was not a corporeal being, but a name-
3 less, incorporeal impartation of divine Love to man, which, ...
... gave
him the spiritual sense of being and rebuked his material
6 sense.
The result of Jacob's struggle thus appeared. He had
conquered material error with the understanding of Spirit
9 and of spiritual power. This changed the man.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, pp. 308:16–21 (to ;), 23–28; 309:2–3 the (to 3rd ,), 4–9 gave (to 2nd .))

9 As
light destroys darkness and in the place of darkness all
is light, so (in absolute Science) Soul, or God, Spirits obsolete
12 is the only truth-giver to man. Truth de-
stroys mortality, and brings to light immortality.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 72:9–13 As)

JESUS. The highest human corporeal concept of the
divine idea, rebuking and destroying error and bringing
18 to light man's immortality.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 589:16)

Knowing that Soul and its attributes were forever
12 manifested through man, the Master healed the sick,
gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, feet to the
lame, thus bringing to light the scientific action of the
15 divine Mind on human minds and bodies and giving
a better understanding of Soul and salvation.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 210:11–16)

Christ, as the spir- Essential element of Christianity
15 itual or true idea of God, comes now as of
old, preaching the gospel to the poor, heal-
ing the sick, and casting out evils. Is it error which
18 is restoring an essential element of Christianity, -
namely, apostolic, divine healing? No; it is the Science
of Christianity which is restoring it, and is the light
21 shining in darkness, which the darkness comprehends
not.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 347:14)

9 The physical healing of Christian Science results
now, as in Jesus' time, from the operation of divine
Principle, before which sin and disease lose their real-
12 ity in human consciousness and disappear as naturally
and as necessarily as darkness gives place to light and
sin to reformation.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. xi:9–14)

The New Testament basis
Sermon on the Mount is the essence of this
24 Science, and the eternal life, not the death of Jesus, is
its outcome.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 271:22)

In his resurrection and ascension, Jesus showed
that a mortal man is not the real essence of manhood, and
1 that this unreal material mortality disappears in presence
of the reality.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 292:31)

He taught
3 his followers that his religion had a divine The Christ-mission
Principle, which would cast out error and heal
both the sick and the sinning.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 136:2–5)

1 Jesus' prayer,
"Forgive us our debts," specified also the terms of
3 forgiveness.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 11:1–3 Jesus')

6 ... forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 17:6 forgive (only))

9 ... We acknowledge God's forgiveness of sin in the
destruction of sin and the spiritual understanding that
casts out evil as unreal.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 497:9–11 We)

1 ... The destruction of sin is the divine method of
pardon. Divine Life destroys death, Truth destroys
3 error, and Love destroys hate.

... Since God is All, there is no room for His
unlikeness. God, Spirit, alone created all, and called it
9 good. Therefore evil, being contrary to good, Evil not pro‐duced by God
is unreal, and cannot be the product of God.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 339:1–3 The, 7–10 Since)

The test of all prayer lies in the answer to these
6 questions: Do we love our neighbor better because of
this asking?
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 9:5–7)

24 Spiritual living Spiritual proofs of existence
and blessedness are the only evidences, by which we can
recognize true existence and feel the unspeakable peace
27 which comes from an all-absorbing spiritual love.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 264:24)

3 The spiritual sense of truth must be gained before
Truth can be understood. This sense is assimilated only
as we are honest, unselfish, loving, and meek.

It is the spiritualization of thought and Christianization
of daily life, in contrast with the results of the ghastly farce
21 of material existence; it is chastity and purity, Unspiritual contrasts
in contrast with the downward tendencies
and earthward gravitation of sensualism and impurity,
24 which really attest the divine origin and operation of Chris-
tian Science.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 272:3–5, 19–25)

12 The senses of Spirit abide in Love, and they demon-
strate Truth and Life. Hence Christianity and the Sci-
ence which expounds it are based on spiritual Five senses deceptive
15 understanding, and they supersede the so-
called laws of matter.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 274:12–16)

Jesus
gave the true idea of being, which results in infinite bless-
9 ings to mortals.

3 If we wish to follow Christ, Truth, it must be in the
way of God's appointing. Jesus said, "He that believeth
on me, the works that I do shall he do also."

12 We must forsake the foundation of material systems,
however time-honored, if we would gain the Christ as
our only Saviour.

The purpose and motive to live aright can be gained
now.

Working and praying with true motives,
21 your Father will open the way.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, pp. 325:7; 326:3–5, 12–14, 16–17 (to 1st .), 20–21)

Sci- Spiritual subdivision
ence reveals only one Mind, and this one shin-
30 ing by its own light and governing the universe, including
1 man, in perfect harmony.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, pp. 510:28–1)

This
12 also shows that there is no place where God's light is not
seen, since Truth, Life, and Love fill immensity and are
ever-present.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 504:11–14)

6 Through the wholesome chastisements of Love, we
are helped onward in the march towards righteousness,
peace, and purity, which are the landmarks A bright outlook
9 of Science.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 323:6–9)

A Christian Scientist occupies the place at this period
18 of which Jesus spoke to his disciples, when he said: "Ye
are the salt of the earth." "Ye are the light The salt of the earth
of the world. A city that is set on an hill can-
21 not be hid." Let us watch, work, and pray that this salt
lose not its saltness, and that this light be not hid, but
radiate and glow into noontide glory.
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 367:17)

Hymns from the Christian Science Hymnal

Hymn. 600
Who was that man in Galilee,
Healing and teaching beside the sea?
What was the power that made him strong?
How can we learn to sing his song?

He told us,
I am the light of the world,
I am the light of the world,
So follow me and shine out
For I am the light of the world!

Why are we here, and who are we?
What is his purpose for you and me?
Our little light seems small and dim
Next to the blaze that comes from him!

He told us,
You are the salt of the earth,
You are the light of the world.
So follow me and shine out
For you are the light of the world!

Christ is the light with which we shine,
Lit from within by this love divine.
Step out with courage, dare to go,
Give from the heart the love you know.

He told us,
We are the salt of the earth,
We are the light of the world.
We follow him and shine out
For Christ is the light of the world!
(Christian Science Hymnal, No. 600)

Hymn. 139
I walk with Love along the way,
And O, it is a holy day;
No more I suffer cruel fear,
I feel God's presence with me here;
The joy that none can take away
Is mine; I walk with Love today.

Who walks with Love along the way,
Shall talk with Love and Love obey;
God's healing truth is free to all,
Our Father answers every call;
'Tis He dispels the clouds of gray
That all may walk with Love today.

Come, walk with Love along the way,
Let childlike trust be yours today;
Uplift your thought, with courage go,
Give of your heart's rich overflow,
And peace shall crown your joy-filled day.
Come, walk with Love along the way.
(Christian Science Hymnal, No. 139)

Hymn. 521
Let there be peace on earth,
and let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on earth,
the peace that was meant to be.
With God our creator, we are family.
Let us walk with each other
in perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me; let this
be the moment now.
With every step I take, let this
be my solemn vow:
To take each moment and live each
moment in peace eternally!
Let there be peace on earth,
and let it begin with me.
(Christian Science Hymnal, No. 521)