JESUS' healing of the man blind from his birth must have made a deep impression on at least one of the disciples, for John has recorded it in detail in the ninth chapter of his Gospel. But the question which the disciples asked Jesus showed that they had glimpsed but faintly the truth about God and man. "Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?" They had learned that disease was often the result of sin, but it is evident that both disease and sin were still very real to them. Jesus knew this, and he strove to lead them farther into the realm of Truth. His reply expressed a great truth, which, like a penetrating light, must have pierced the dense materiality of the disciples, as well as that of the afflicted one, and cleared their spiritual vision even as it opened the eyes of the blind: "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him."
What wondrous love—this love that was ever conscious of man as the image of the Father, sinless and perfect! This is the love which lifts the load of false condemnation from our brother and ourselves, and which heals both disease and sin. Jesus not only freed the man from the condemnation of sin, but he also denied any real power to the theory of heredity. Man, as the child of God, cannot inherit anything but good from his divine Parent, the Father-Mother God.
Jesus never condoned sin; he was unsparing in his condemnation of it; but he never attached sin to the real man. He did not temporize with matter; and in this case he spat upon it, thus showing his contempt for it. He then applied his understanding of the nothingness of matter to the problem at hand. He looked through the illusion of matter and saw the manifestation of a son of God; and his clear seeing restored to the blind his sight. To Jesus this was an opportunity to prove the immediate presence and power of God. He did his work so thoroughly that not only was the man's sight restored, but his spiritual vision was quickened; for he perceived the power of God working through Jesus, and he acknowledged this Christ-power. His sense of gratitude was also awakened, for he publicly testified to his healing.
When one turns to Christian Science for help, he has turned to God. He may not be conscious of this, and may think that he is merely going to a practitioner for physical healing; but really it is fearful, sick, or sinning sense turning from the darkness of materiality to the Christ. If the practitioner consciously recognizes this, the marvelous light of the Christ, Truth, will so illumine the consciousness of both patient and practitioner that healing will inevitably follow. The light of Truth, penetrating the darkest corners of the so-called human mind, dispersing the clouds of fear, ignorance, and sin, will reveal whatever the practitioner needs to know to demonstrate healing for each specific case.
"Neither hath this man sinned." The love which is instant and alert enough to recognize this waits for God to reveal whatever is necessary, and does not listen to human opinion, which would seek a name and a cause for error, thus increasing the burden of the already heavy-laden one. "Human opinions are not spiritual. They come from the hearing of the ear, from corporeality instead of from Principle, and from the mortal instead of from the immortal," Mrs. Eddy says in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 192). Human opinion is prone to outline and to name some form of sin, attach it as real to a person, and seek the origin of it. The Christ, Truth, instantly denies any origin or reality to sin or error, declares with positive assurance the allness and omnipotence of God, and reveals that man in His image, the manifestation of Life and Love, has never sinned. Since God is ever present, His image, the perfect man, is ever present.
The qualities which we see and acknowledge as real in ourselves or our brother are embodied in our concept of man. Are we marring, defacing, or crippling this concept? It behooves us to be instant in our denial of error, no matter how insistently it may clamor for recognition.
We need have no anxiety about the result of our work when our love goes out to our brother with the mental welcome, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." It is indeed a sacred privilege to engage in the healing work of Christian Science; and this is beautifully expressed in these words of a familiar hymn:
"To point that living way, to speak
That truth 'which makes men free,'
To bring that quickening life from
heaven,
Is highest ministry."
Christian Science practice is a sacred ministry, not just a profession.
It is indispensable to the continued growth of any Christian Scientist that he study the life of Jesus, our Way-shower. His life, as given in the Gospels and illuminated in the works of Mary Baker Eddy, is the guiding star for every sincere follower. He went daily about his Father's business with quiet assurance. He did not hurry, for hurry indicates confusion and lack of faith. When he was besought by Jairus to come to the help of his daughter—a very urgent case indeed—he took time to speak to the woman who was healed when she touched his garment. He knew that the Father was caring for all, and this sublime faith enabled him to waken the maid from the sleep of death. He said, "The Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." He asked nothing for himself, but desired only to glorify God.
If the Christ has called us to be "fishers of men," we shall be supplied with all that we need for the work every moment. The same law which supplied Jesus is operating for us to-day, and we shall see similar results if we trust our Father as he did. When our hearts are filled with love for God and our fellow men, and we desire to glorify the Father's name, everything we are called upon to do will be done graciously and gratefully. Even the most menial task will be glorified if we do it with grateful, singing hearts. This was the secret of Jesus' life. He was always busy exalting the Father and ascending to Him in thought. Consequently, he could not but heal. His healings were the natural results of his constant communion with God.
We, as followers of Jesus, need to study his life more faithfully and to consider his sayings more deeply, for hidden therein is life eternal. "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life," he said. How very important, then, that we prayerfully ponder his words! As we do so we shall discover the rich gems of hidden wisdom which are revealed only to those who have eyes to see. This wisdom, when applied correctly, will enable us to face every trial with confidence and assurance.
Starting the day with gratitude to God and with childlike expectancy of good opens the door for innumerable blessings. The cup which we bring to the fount of God's bounty is always filled to the brim. Are we limiting divine Love by timidly offering a tiny cup? Let us come with a large expectancy, with cups emptied of self-will, ingratitude, and a false sense of responsibility; then the fresh, pure water of inspiration will not only satisfy our thirst, but overflow with spiritual refreshment for all with whom we come in contact. But the water which we drank yesterday does not quench our thirst to-day. We need to go often to the spiritual fount, and with prayerful gratitude drink anew of the water of Life, which is so abundantly supplied for us in the Scriptures, our Leader's writings, and the authorized Christian Science periodicals.
We may not all be practitioners, as the term is generally understood, but opportunities to practice Christian Science come to each one of us daily and hourly. As we strive to put into practice the truths we understand, to be a little more loving, a little more kind, a little more patient, we shall begin to see that God does indeed dwell with men; and our heaven will have come to earth.
The bugle call for greater consecration to our beloved Cause, and for more unselfed love, is sounding clearly. Are we hearing and heeding the call? Our Leader has written (Science and Health, p. 55), "The time for the reappearing of the divine healing is throughout all time; and whosoever layeth his earthly all on the altar of divine Science, drinketh of Christ's cup now, and is endued with the spirit and power of Christian healing."
