At a certain time while instructing his disciples, Christ Jesus declared that men should pray always. Illustrating the distinction between selfish and sincere prayer, he spoke of two men who went into the temple to pray, a Pharisee and a publican. The Pharisee thanked God that he was not as other men, including the publican, and boasted of his strict observance of the ceremonial law in fasting and tithing—a prayer that plainly did not reach beyond his own personal self-satisfaction. The publican, feeling the weight of sin's condemnation, with eyes downcast and from the depths of his heart acknowledged his sin and pleaded for God's mercy. And Jesus declared that he went to his house justified rather than the other.
In gracious response to the disciples' request that he teach them how to pray, the Master warned against vain repetitions, such as the heathen use, and bade them beware of hypocrisy in attempting to appear humble before people, while being unregenerate at heart. He said, "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." In commenting upon this, Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, writes in the chapter on Prayer in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 15): "To enter into the heart of prayer, the door of the erring senses must be closed. Lips must be mute and materialism silent, that man may have audience with Spirit, the divine Principle, Love, which destroys all error."
Doubtless many prayers seem to be unanswered for the reason that men and women, believing themselves to be mortal, beseech God, who is Spirit, to help them materially. But how could these be benefited spiritually until their consciousness, opened in some degree through a willingness to turn away from the materiality which is binding them, glimpses the light of divine understanding? Then there is revealed to them what they really are.
