To witness Jesus’ total reliance on his Father’s care for him is a precious thing. Through the study of the Bible, we can see the bond of love, appreciation, and intimacy between Jesus and his heavenly Father, no less tangible than the bond between a loving human father and son. The Master never wavered in his childlike willingness to turn to his Father in every need. He expected to be the recipient of God’s tender care—and of course he always was, whether he needed daily provision or release from the tomb where he was buried. Isn’t this pure, unreserved trust in divine Spirit what we strive for when we “pray for that Mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus” (Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 497)?
Following the Master’s example, the Christian Science nurse cultivates the ability to rely on spiritual sense in providing care and supporting the practice of Christian Science. Rather than serving the problem or cultivating a dependency on others, Christian Science nursing goes beyond mere human tending, to spiritually nurturing patients and encouraging their recognition of God as the ever-present healer. While tenderly meeting practical needs, such as assisting patients in walking, feeding them when needed, reading to them, changing bandages, and keeping bedding clean and in order, the Christian Science nurse is looking away from the material picture of a sick mortal and holding in thought the truth of man’s perfection as God’s beloved spiritual child. This supports the awakening of the sick from a troubled dream of life in a physical body.
Science and Health urges: “The poor suffering heart needs its rightful nutriment, such as peace, patience in tribulation, and a priceless sense of the dear Father’s loving-kindness” (pp. 365–366). With the Mind of Christ as the standard, the Christian Science nurse reaches for the qualities of “wisdom, purity, spiritual understanding, spiritual power, love, health, holiness,” which indicate the consciousness of God’s care for His child (Science and Health, p. 116). This is the healing way. It breaks the mesmerism of suffering and supports courage and faith in the healing power of Truth. Ever solicitous of the welfare of another, the Christian Science nurse need never deviate from the absolute Science discovered and taught by Mary Baker Eddy.
