Matthew 16 — protecting our divine destiny from human interference

[JPalmer]

In Mary Baker Eddy, Her Spiritual Precepts, in the commentary on Mrs. Eddy’s letter from January 1, 1895, Gilbert Carpenter writes the following which uses Matthew 16 (from this week’s lesson) as an example:

If a caterpillar had a husband, and he should see her preparing to enter alone into the silence and stillness of the cocoon, in order to be transformed into a beautiful butterfly, he might try to prevent her from fulfilling that destiny. … The desire for his own comfort and happiness would selfishly cause the caterpillar’s husband to try to keep his wife in the caterpillar stage, when it was her destiny soon to become a butterfly.

It is thus that mortals hold one another. Even the suggestion of any trans­formation or change in their established relation one with another seems like an error. Yet it is malpractice for one to take a stand either outwardly or mentally against the destiny of another.

The disciples had to be severely rebuked when they took a stand against the Master’s destiny. When he told them, in Matt. 16, that he was to be killed, Peter said, “This shall not be unto thee.” Jesus’ rebuke was, “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.” He recognized the action of the human mind trying to interfere with the destiny that God had for him.

I am grateful here in Plainfield to learn we have a divine destiny, and also to learn not to hold myself or others as we were, but to always be open to the advancement of our individual spiritual growth in God’s good time. Thank you!

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