“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness . . .” Q&A #5

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:
for they shall be filled.

Question: Is this another way of saying we must be “seekers” for Truth?

Answer: It depends upon how strong your desire is to do the seeking. In her writings,
Mary Baler Eddy uses the word strive to indicate something similar to the efforts of those
who hunger and thirst for righteousness. The dictionary states that strive “implies great
exertion against great difficulty and specifically suggests persistent effort.”

Mrs. Eddy’s statements regarding “striving” confirm the importance of our making great
efforts on a steady, regular basis to seek the Truth which nourishes:

“Seeking is not sufficient. It is striving that enables us to enter.” (S&H 10)

“Mortals may seek the understanding of Christian Science, but they will not be able to glean from Christian Science the facts of being without striving for them. This strife consists in the endeavor to forsake error of every kind and to possess no other consciousness but good.” (S&H 322)

“Simply asking that we may love God will never make us love Him; but the longing to be better and holier, expressed in daily watchfulness and in striving to assimilate more of the divine character, will mould and fashion us anew, until we awake in His likeness.” (S&H 4)

Practice: Although you probably have a very busy life going, it is so important to have God’s goodness active in our thinking, that we must make the time on a daily basis for prayer. Take a few minutes now to quietly listen to God.

* * *
(Excerpted from “First Lessons in Christian Science, Volume Two: The Beatitudes”
Copyright 2002)

 

Next:  “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst . . . ” – Q&A #6

List of all pages and lessons in Volume Two: The Beatitudes

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness . . .” Q&A #4

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:
for they shall be filled.

Question: Is God able to feed humans who hunger and thirst in all ways?

Answer: No matter where we are in our understanding of God and our spiritual identity, God, as our Father-Mother, takes care of us in ways that reach us. There are examples in the Bible: the manna that fed the Children of Israel in the wilderness; the ravens that brought food to
Elijah; Jesus feeding the 5,000.

“Spirit duly feeds and clothes every object, as it appears in the line of spiritual creation, thus tenderly expressing the fatherhood and motherhood of God.” (S&H 507)

It is for God’s spiritual nourishment that we must hunger. God takes care of our needs in ways best suited for us.

“Whatever inspires with wisdom, Truth, or Love — be it song, sermon, or Science — blesses the
human family with crumbs of comfort from Christ’s table, feeding the hungry and giving living waters to the thirsty.” (S&H 234)

“Love is impartial and universal in its adaptation and bestowals. It is the open fount which cries,
‘Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters.’” (S&H 13)

“For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.” (Psalm 107)

Further Study: You might want to look up the Bible stories mentioned above, and consider how God was able to provide both the human need for food, as well as the spiritual needs.

* * *
(Excerpted from “First Lessons in Christian Science, Volume Two: The Beatitudes”
Copyright 2002)

 

Next:  “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst . . . ” – Q&A #5

List of all pages and lessons in Volume Two: The Beatitudes

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness . . . ” Q&A #3

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:
for they shall be filled.

Question: What if you and your family are too busy going to school or earning a living to be worried about things like hungering after righteousness?

Answer: Those kinds of activities are important and necessary in the world we now live in.
But, that does not mean we cannot put God first. This Beatitude is telling us that right thinking and acting must be a primary and deep desire. We must long to see goodness in the world!

“Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? . . . for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
(Matthew 6)

“Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life.”
(John 6)

“The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness . . . For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.” (Ps. 18)

Perhaps you do not yet see the value in a life devoted to God and righteousness. But the Bible is filled with proofs and promises of God’s care for the righteous. You can prove it in your own life when you find yourself suddenly hungering and thirsting for something more.

Further Study: Can you think of any Bible characters who became “hungry”? Did God help them in any way?

* * *
(Excerpted from “First Lessons in Christian Science, Volume Two: The Beatitudes”
Copyright 2002)

 

Next:  “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness . . . ” – Q&A #4

List of all pages and lessons from Volume Two: The Beatitudes

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness . . .” Q&A #2

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:
for they shall be filled.

Question: What does Jesus mean here by “hunger and thirst”?

Answer: Most likely you have known only what it felt like to be slightly hungry or thirsty for food and drink. Perhaps a meal was late, or you were playing outdoors in the sun and did not have
a drink with you. As uncomfortable as that may have been for you, it does not really compare to the kind of hunger and thirst Jesus was talking about here.

The hunger in this Beatitude can be compared to that of a person starving to death, perhaps in an area of famine. The thirst can be compared to someone who is about to die from lack of
water. It is not a mild grumbling in the stomach or a temporary dryness in the mouth. It is a hunger and thirst that means death if it is not soon taken care of. A man in that position would have no other desire than to get something to eat and drink. And, Jesus tells us this is how we must hunger and thirst for righteousness. It must be that important to us!

“O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.” (Ps. 63)

It is in our daily prayers to God that we go to Him with our desires. Mary Baker Eddy writes:

“Are we benefited by praying? Yes, the desire which goes forth hungering after righteousness is blessed of our Father, and it does not return unto us void.” (S&H 2)

Practice: Start thinking today about how important it is to you to be good, and to follow the laws of God.

* * *
(Excerpted from “First Lessons in Christian Science, Volume Two: The Beatitudes”
Copyright 2002)

 

Next:  “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst . . . ” – Q&A #3

List of all pages and lessons in Volume Two: The Beatitudes

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness . . . ” Q&A #1

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:
for they shall be filled.

Question: What is “righteousness”?

Answer: Righteousness is action or thought which is in line with divine or moral law.
Righteousness is all that is right, just, fair, and good. In Christian Science, righteousness
would be considered a quality that man expresses as a reflection of Principle. Principle
is a synonym of God, which defines Him as foundational Law — that which governs all.
Mary Baker Eddy describes Principle this way:

“From the infinite One in Christian Science comes one Principle and its infinite idea, and with this
infinitude come spiritual rules, laws, and their demonstration, which, like the great Giver, are ‘the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever;’ for thus are the divine Principle of healing and the
Christ-idea characterized in the epistle to the Hebrews.” (S&H 112)

Mrs. Eddy also writes: “The Christlike understanding of scientific being and divine healing
includes a perfect Principle and idea, — perfect God and perfect man, — as the basis of thought
and demonstration.” (S&H 259)

It is this oneness with our divine Principle that impels everyone — no matter how sinful they
appear to be — to want to be better than they are. It is natural for humans to struggle to be good. Jesus tells us with this Beatitude that we know we are heading in the right direction
when we start to “hunger and thirst” after goodness and righteousness.

Practice: Can you think of some other qualities that might reflect Principle? How would you use them?
* * *
(Excerpted from “First Lessons in Christian Science, Volume Two: The Beatitudes”
Copyright 2002)

 

Next:  “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst . . . ”  –  Q&A #2

List of all pages and lessons in Volume Two: The Beatitudes

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness . . .” For Young Children

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled”

MEANS:

that we will be filled with great joy whenever we find ourselves wanting to be good, do good, and see good in the world, with as much feeling as someone who had not eaten in days would desire some food, or someone dying of thirst would want a drink of water. It is such a strong feeling, that we will do almost anything to see that it happens. “Righteousness” is the habit of thinking and doing all that is right and good. This Beatitude does not say we will be blessed, or happy, when we have become righteous, but that we are blessed because of our strong DESIRE for righteousness. That strong desire, which is as deep as someone starving for food and drink, will force us to take action, and do what is necessary to see that we do what is right, and that others are treated justly.

THE PROMISE AND REWARD:

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”

To “be filled” is to have a feeling of fullness, or to know for sure that you have everything you need. For instance, after eating a really good meal, your tummy is no longer empty, but “full.” This Beatitude suggests to us that if we continue to “hunger and thirst” for righteousness — all
that is right, and good, and just — we will be filled with the ability to do good. However, we do not get that good feeling of fullness just so that we can sit back and enjoy our own personal comfort. No! Our continued blessing comes from USING what we have proven to be true in
order to help others. This is the reward of those who have such a deep desire to know and do good, they will make the effort to do something about it, in order to save themselves and others from evil.

* * *
(Excerpted from “First Lessons in Christian Science, Volume Two: The Beatitudes”
Copyright 2002)

To print out the image below, which is from the original book, click on the image and save to your computer. 

Next:  “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst . . . ” – Q&A #1

See also: 

Teaching Children the Beatitudes – and a Mini-poster
What Mary Baker Eddy Writes about the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount
What Mary Baker Eddy Writes about Teaching Children

List of all pages and lessons in Volume Two: The Beatitudes
Volume One: The Ten Commandments
Volume Three:  The Lord’s Prayer

UPDATE:  The complete book of First Lessons in Christian Science, Volume Two: The Beatitudes in its original format is now available for purchase as a downloadable file at The Bookmark online.  Visit my Author’s Page at:  https://thebookmark.com/vicki-jones-cole-2.

List of all essays on this site
About this blog and books plus a Welcome

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The Fourth Commandment – Q&A #10

The Fourth Commandment
“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy”

Question: Is our Sabbath day of rest anything like heaven?

Answer: Yes. Heaven is harmony, as Christian Science teaches. Harmony is when everything is in agreement, and is peaceable. So, harmony would be part of our reflection of God, and part of our relationship to Him and His creation.

“There is but one way to heaven, harmony, and Christ in divine Science shows us this way. It is to know no other reality — to have no other consciousness of life — than good, God and His reflection,
and to rise superior to the so-called pain and pleasure of the senses.” (S&H 242)

“HEAVEN. Harmony; the reign of Spirit; government by divine Principle; spirituality; bliss; the atmosphere of Soul.” (S&H 587)

“To reach heaven, the harmony of being, we must understand the divine Principle of being.” (S&H 6)

“Christian Science, rightly understood, leads to eternal harmony.” (S&H 338)

“Through divine Science, Spirit, God, unites understanding to eternal harmony. The calm and exalted thought orspiritual apprehension is at peace.” (S&H 506)

Do you see that our sense of heaven can be found in our own understanding of God? If you turn to Him in prayer when you need to see harmony in your daily life, you will find a sense of peace — a Sabbath day — that will bring healing.

Practice: Today, ask God to help you see that heaven is right here and now.

* * *
(Excerpted from “First Lessons in Christian Science, Volume One: The Ten Commandments”
Copyright 2001)

 

Next:  The Fifth Commandment – For Young Children

See also:

Teaching Children the Fourth Commandment
Teaching Children the Ten Commandments
The Fourth Commandment – a Christian Science Perspective
What Mary Baker Eddy Writes about Teaching Children

List of all pages and lessons in Volume One: The Ten Commandments

UPDATE:  The complete book of First Lessons in Christian Science, Volume One: The Ten Commandments in its original format is now available for purchase as a downloadable file at The Bookmark online.  Visit my Author’s Page at:  https://thebookmark.com/vicki-jones-cole-2.

The Fourth Commandment – Q&A #9

The Fourth Commandment
“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy”

Question: How can we feel at peace if it seems we are lacking something?

Answer: If we do not feel complete in some way, that is only a suggestion of mortal mind. One definition of “complete” is “having all necessary or normal parts.” The idea of completeness is included in our reflection of God, and, therefore, is included in our Sabbath day.

“As mortals gain more correct views of God and man, multitudinous objects of creation, which before were invisible, will become visible. When we realize that Life is Spirit, never in nor of matter, this
understanding will expand into self-completeness, finding all in God, good, and needing no other
consciousness.”  (S&H 264)

Mary Baker Eddy quotes from Genesis 2:1: “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the hosts of them.” Her commentary on this passage reads:

“Thus the ideas of God in universal being are complete and forever expressed, for Science reveals
infinity and the fatherhood and motherhood of Love.” (S&H 519)

“Union of the masculine and feminine qualities constitutes completeness.” (S&H 57)

“Man is God’s reflection, needing no cultivation, but ever beautiful and complete.” (S&H 527)

Practice: Some children feel they have no real friends, and are often lonely. Do you ever feel that way? Today, try thanking God for making you complete! Know that you cannot lack any good thing, including friends and happy experiences. You must trust God to supply all these needs at the right time.

* * *
(Excerpted from “First Lessons in Christian Science, Volume One: The Ten Commandments”
Copyright 2001)

 

Next:  The Fourth Commandment – Q&A #10

List of all pages and lessons in Volume One: The Ten Commandments

The Fourth Commandment – Q&A #8

The Fourth Commandment
“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy”

Question: Will obeying the Fourth Commandment help you to heal?

Answer: Certainly. We first remember to do our “work” of affirming Truth and denying error. Then, when we reach that moment where we understand that we are God’s perfect reflection (our Sabbath day!), we should find that any false beliefs of sickness or sin will disappear. Mary Baker Eddy writes:

“Sickness is the schoolmaster, leading you to Christ; first to faith in Christ; next to belief in God as
omnipotent; and finally to the understanding of God and man in Christian Science, whereby you
learn that God is good, and in Science man is His likeness, the forever reflection of goodness.”
(Rud. 11)

“By this system . . . man has a changed recognition of his relation to God. He is no longer obliged to sin, be sick, and die to reach heaven, but is required and empowered to conquer sin, sickness, and death; thus, as image and likeness, to reflect Him who destroys death and hell. By this reflection, man
becomes the partaker of that Mind whence sprang the universe.” (Mis. 235)

“Spiritual insight of Truth and Love antidotes and destroys the errors of flesh, and brings to light the true reflection; man as God’s image, or ‘the first man,’ for Christ plainly declared, through Jesus,
‘Before Abraham was, I am.’” (Mis. 189)

If you should start to feel ill or upset, “remember the sabbath day” of reflection.

Further Study: Today, study the answer to the question “What is man?” on page 475 in Science and Health for fresh ideas.

* * *
(Excerpted from “First Lessons in Christian Science, Volume One: The Ten Commandments” Copyright 2001)

 

Next:  The Fourth Commandment – Q&A #9

List of all pages and lessons in Volume One: The Ten Commandments

The Fourth Commandment – Q&A #7

The Fourth Commandment
“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy”

Question: How do we make ourselves into God’s perfect reflection?

Answer: We do not need to make ourselves perfect. God has already done that! We simply use that fact to reverse the arguments of mortal mind which try to convince us that we are
imperfect mortals, rather than spiritual ideas. Mary Baker Eddy explains:

“Spiritually followed, the book of Genesis is the history of the untrue image of God, named a sinful
mortal. This deflection of being, rightly viewed, serves to suggest the proper reflection of God and the spiritual actuality of man, as given in the first chapter of Genesis.” (S&H 502)

“Through the divine energies alone one must either get out of himself and into God so far that his consciousness is the reflection of the divine, or he must, through argument and the human
consciousness of both evil and good, overcome evil.” (Mis. 352)

“A heart touched and hallowed by one chord of Christian Science, can accomplish the full scale; but this heart must be honest and in earnest and never weary of struggling to be perfect — to reflect
the divine Life, Truth, and Love. Stand by the limpid lake, sleeping amid willowy banks dyed with emerald. See therein the mirrored sky and the moon ablaze with her mild glory. This will stir your
heart. Then, in speechless prayer, ask God to enable you to reflect God, to become His own image and likeness, even the calm, clear, radiant reflection of Christ’s glory.” (My. 150)

Practice: Study this last citation, then quietly pray your own prayer, asking to be God’s reflection. Then, go be it!

* * *
(Excerpted from “First Lessons in Christian Science, Volume One: The Ten Commandments” Copyright 2001)

 

Next:  The Fourth Commandment – Q&A #8

List of all pages and lessons in Volume One: The Ten Commandments