Article March 10, 1917 Issue

"Who hath ears to hear"

INEZ KOCH

To those who are growing in the understanding of Christian Science it becomes more and more apparent that every human concept must yield to the true idea. Especially is this the case with the evidence of the physical senses, such as sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. Even those who seem to be in perfect possession of these five material senses must lose the false in order to gain the true or spiritual sense. For instance, one may have normal physical hearing, and yet not be able to hear (understand) one word of the truth. Two people may be listening to a lecture on Christian Science, one with perfect physical hearing and the other with a belief of being more or less deaf. Perhaps the one whose hearing is not perfect does not catch all the sound vibrations, but if he is receptive to God's word he will understand more of the truth than the other, who listens to the words of Truth with his understanding clouded by material beliefs.

In the parable of the sower, Jesus said of those whose materiality hindered them from grasping the metaphysical truth he presented to them, "Hearing they hear not, neither do they understand." Further indicating the great necessity of spiritual hearing or understanding, as opposed to material hearing, he said: "Many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them;" and again, "Blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear."

On page 79 of "Retrospection and Introspection" Mrs. Eddy says: "Not by the hearing of the ear is spiritual truth learned and loved ... We glean spiritual harvests from our own material losses." The loss of mere human happiness, and even of the physical faculties, may serve to turn us to the true sense of being, in which the senses of Mind, spiritual sight and hearing, will be found perfect. The road may seem hard and stony at times, but the Master said, "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." Every battle won over the false claim of physical sense brings us nearer the perfect manifestation of infinite Mind and its infinite ideas.

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