Article July 4, 2016 Issue

The one true healer

William Pappas

In various ways, the Bible conveys the message that we can demonstrate the healing power of God through understanding and obedience. Healing is not a personal ability. In Christian Science we learn that God is the only healer, and because in truth we are God’s image and likeness, we are able to reflect His healing power as we understand and demonstrate our real selfhood. The simple fact that God, who is Truth and Love, is the healer lifts a burdensome sense of personal responsibility to bring about healing either for oneself or for one’s neighbor, and supports our prayers when the work seems hard. The Bible shows us that mankind is never without the omnipotent help of divine Love when we are working out our salvation.

Think of our Exemplar, Christ Jesus. The work he was required to do, his divine mission, was to be the Way-shower for all mankind. That’s an incredible responsibility. Yet, while Jesus knew the immensity of his mission and struggled in the garden of Gethsemane, he placed the responsibility for his mission on God, not on himself. “My burden is light,” he said (Matthew 11:30). As the Son of God, Jesus’ understanding of the power of God, Spirit, over the material senses, was what made his burden light and enabled him to perform his mighty works. It was not a belief that he had any personal power of his own.

In Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy includes Psalm 23, substituting for “Lord” the word “Love,” which is a synonym for God (see p. 578). Reading this psalm in this light, we see that it is divine Love, and not ourselves, that delivers, guides, and frees us from trouble of any kind. According to this psalm, Love leads us, restores our spiritual sense, comforts us, and anoints us with oil, which Science and Health defines in part as “heavenly inspiration” (p. 592). Knowing this, we can follow in Jesus’ footsteps and move forward in our practice of Christian Science, free from the burden and fear of thinking we are personal healers—that healing is based in a limited, material personality.