Responsive Reading: Psalm 51 : 1, 2, 6, 7, 10-12

1.     Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

2.     Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

6.     Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

7.     Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

10.     Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

11.     Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

12.     Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

1. Matthew 3 : 16, 17

16     And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

17     And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

2. Matthew 5 : 1, 2, 8, 16

1     And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

2     And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

8     Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

16     Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

3. Matthew 16 : 21-27

21     From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

22     Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

23     But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

24     Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

25     For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

26     For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

27     For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

4. Matthew 23 : 1-12

1     Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

2     Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:

3     All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

4     For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

5     But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

6     And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

7     And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

8     But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

9     And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

10     Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

11     But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

12     And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

5. Matthew 26 : 1, 2, 17-20, 26, 27

1     And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples,

2     Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.

17     Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?

18     And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.

19     And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.

20     Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.

26     And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

27     And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it.

6. II Corinthians 6 : 1, 4-7

1     We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

4     But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,

5     In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;

6     By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,

7     By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

7. Romans 5 : 1-5, 8-11

1     Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2     By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

3     And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

4     And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

5     And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

8     But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

9     Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

10     For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

11     And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

1. 18 : 3-9

Jesus of Nazareth taught and demonstrated man’s oneness with the Father, and for this we owe him endless homage. His mission was both individual and collective. He did life’s work aright not only in justice to himself, but in mercy to mortals, — to show them how to do theirs, but not to do it for them nor to relieve them of a single responsibility.

2. 19 : 1-2, 6-11

It was therefore Christ’s purpose to reconcile man to God, not God to man. … Jesus aided in reconciling man to God by giving man a truer sense of Love, the divine Principle of Jesus’ teachings, and this truer sense of Love redeems man from the law of matter, sin, and death by the law of Spirit, — the law of divine Love.

3. 259 : 6-14

In divine Science, man is the true image of God. The divine nature was best expressed in Christ Jesus, who threw upon mortals the truer reflection of God and lifted their lives higher than their poor thought-models would allow, — thoughts which presented man as fallen, sick, sinning, and dying. 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.

4. 25 : 13-31

Jesus taught the way of Life by demonstration, that we may understand how this divine Principle heals the sick, casts out error, and triumphs over death. Jesus presented the ideal of God better than could any man whose origin was less spiritual. By his obedience to God, he demonstrated more spiritually than all others the Principle of being. Hence the force of his admonition, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

Though demonstrating his control over sin and disease, the great Teacher by no means relieved others from giving the requisite proofs of their own piety. He worked for their guidance, that they might demonstrate this power as he did and understand its divine Principle. Implicit faith in the Teacher and all the emotional love we can bestow on him, will never alone make us imitators of him. We must go and do likewise, else we are not improving the great blessings which our Master worked and suffered to bestow upon us. The divinity of the Christ was made manifest in the humanity of Jesus.

5. 28 : 9-14

While respecting all that is good in the Church or out of it, one’s consecration to Christ is more on the ground of demonstration than of profession. In conscience, we cannot hold to beliefs outgrown; and by understanding more of the divine Principle of the deathless Christ, we are enabled to heal the sick and to triumph over sin.

6. 31 : 12-22 (to .)

First in the list of Christian duties, he taught his followers the healing power of Truth and Love. He attached no importance to dead ceremonies. It is the living Christ, the practical Truth, which makes Jesus “the resurrection and the life” to all who follow him in deed. Obeying his precious precepts, — following his demonstration so far as we apprehend it, — we drink of his cup, partake of his bread, are baptized with his purity: and at last we shall rest, sit down with him, in a full understanding of the divine Principle which triumphs over death.

7. 458 : 25 (The)-8

The Christian Scientist wisely shapes his course, and is honest and consistent in following the leadings of divine Mind. He must prove, through living as well as healing and teaching, that Christ’s way is the only one by which mortals are radically saved from sin and sickness.

Christianity causes men to turn naturally from matter to Spirit, as the flower turns from darkness to light. Man then appropriates those things which “eye hath not seen nor ear heard.” Paul and John had a clear apprehension that, as mortal man achieves no worldly honors except by sacrifice, so he must gain heavenly riches by forsaking all worldliness. Then he will have nothing in common with the worldling’s affections, motives, and aims.

8. 183 : 21-29

Divine Mind rightly demands man’s entire obedience, affection, and strength. No reservation is made for any lesser loyalty. Obedience to Truth gives man power and strength. Submission to error superinduces loss of power.

Truth casts out all evils and materialistic methods with the actual spiritual law, — the law which gives sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, voice to the dumb, feet to the lame.

9. 149 : 11-16

The rule and its perfection of operation never vary in Science. If you fail to succeed in any case, it is because you have not demonstrated the life of Christ, Truth, more in your own life, — because you have not obeyed the rule and proved the Principle of divine Science.

10. 19 : 17-28

Every pang of repentance and suffering, every effort for reform, every good thought and deed, will help us to understand Jesus’ atonement for sin and aid its efficacy; but if the sinner continues to pray and repent, sin and be sorry, he has little part in the atonement, — in the at-one-ment with God, — for he lacks the practical repentance, which reforms the heart and enables man to do the will of wisdom. Those who cannot demonstrate, at least in part, the divine Principle of the teachings and practice of our Master have no part in God. If living in disobedience to Him, we ought to feel no security, although God is good.

11. 21 : 1-5, 9-14

If Truth is overcoming error in your daily walk and conversation, you can finally say, “I have fought a good fight … I have kept the faith,” because you are a better man. This is having our part in the at-one-ment with Truth and Love.

If the disciple is advancing spiritually, he is striving to enter in. He constantly turns away from material sense, and looks towards the imperishable things of Spirit. If honest, he will be in earnest from the start, and gain a little each day in the right direction, till at last he finishes his course with joy.