Peter glimpsed but faintly the true idea of Love when he asked Jesus (Matt. 18:21), "Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?" The Master's reply made it clear that Peter, placing a limit on forgiveness, did not fully understand the infinite all of Love. Jesus' answer ruled out every element of self: "I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven."
Love can never express less than love. The realization of this fact enabled Jesus to pray for his enemies even in the hour of crucifixion with the words (Luke 23:34), "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." In "Miscellaneous Writings" Mary Baker Eddy says (p. 124): "The last act of the tragedy on Calvary rent the veil of matter, and unveiled Love's great legacy to mortals: Love forgiving its enemies. This grand act crowned and still crowns Christianity: it manumits mortals; it translates love; it gives to suffering, inspiration; to patience, experience; to experience, hope; to hope, faith; to faith, understanding; and to understanding, Love triumphant!"
Love, one of the seven synonyms for God revealed by Christian Science, is vitally important in its theology; and forgiveness is indissolubly linked to the true idea of Love. Through her great love Mrs. Eddy was enabled not only to present Christian Science to the world in her textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," but to forgive her persecutors and rise above opposition to the establishment of this religion which is healing and redeeming thousands.
