Article October 26, 1918 Issue

Radiation and Supply

BERTHA V. ZEREGA

In Jesus' beautiful utterance which is recorded in the fourth chapter of John, "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work," there is a lesson on supply which is of great value to those who are at work to-day in the Father's vineyard, for by it Jesus attested to the sustaining, nourishing, and vitalizing power of spiritual radiation—doing the works. To perceive the underlying truth contained in his words it is helpful to review briefly the circumstances which led up to this inspired declaration of the Master.

In the chapter above referred to we read that in departing from Judea to go into Galilee, Jesus and his disciples were obliged to travel through Samaria, a section of the country proverbially hostile not only to the teachings of the Master but also to the doctrine of the scribes and Pharisees, and against whose prejudiced citizens Jesus had warned his disciples when sending them away into surrounding cities and villages to preach and to heal, saying, "Into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not." And yet right here in the city of Sychar, in the midst of pronounced opposition to the truth, Jesus, discerning the spiritual receptivity of the Samaritan woman who came to draw water out of the well on which he was seated, was able to impart an inspiring message of comfort and hope to this people; for so impressed were many of the Samaritans with what the woman told them of her conversation with Jesus that they came to hear more of his teachings. Always intent upon doing his Father's will by radiating the truth upon all with whom he came in contact, Jesus did not wait until he had reached Galilee to make use of his healing ability, but seizing the first opportunity which presented itself in the unpromising district of Samaria, he reflected so much spiritual light and love that the mental barriers of prejudice and unbelief were dissolved, and his former antagonists now offered him the hospitality of their homes, where he remained two days.

No wonder that after his spiritual discourse with the woman at the well Jesus could say to this disciples when they came offering him food, "I have meat to eat that ye know not of." He who had been weary with his journey when they left him to buy food, was on their return so refreshed and invigorated by the spiritual act of imparting the Word, that he could direct the thoughts of these students to the contemplation of man's existence in Mind—as God's idea of Himself, divinely conceived, nourished, and sustained in Spirit, wholly apart from the beliefs of the flesh, the man whose life purpose it is to radiate the truth that God's work is finished, perfect, and eternally present for all of His children to recognize and to enjoy. To Jesus, then, there was nothing depleting in the activity of giving out, since energy, understood as spiritual potency, is exhaustless. Radiation, which is only another word for reflection, was his life mission among mankind. He taught his disciples that Life was neither in the body nor in an abundance of material possessions. True living consists in actively reflecting and diffusing mental light, spiritual ideas, which through the operation of divine law illuminate and dispel the dark ignorance manifest as sickness, limitation, sin, and death. Jesus proved that by letting his light—his knowledge of the truth—shine compassionately upon men he was liberating them through his works from bondage to material beliefs, and was himself thereby practically fed, clothed, and sheltered. Through his demonstrations of God's power and goodness, substance and supply became identified with, because directly dependent upon, right mental activity, the radiation of infinite Love, Truth, and Life.

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