"The audible repetition of the Lord's Prayer"

MADGE BELL

There is sometimes a tendency to regard words which form part of what might be called the routine portion of a Christian Science church service in a merely formal way. For this reason it may be well to ask ourselves what such words as "the audible repetition of the Lord's Prayer" (Manual, p. 120) mean to us, since they form part of every Christian Science church service. Generally speaking, we take them to mean that this prayer shall be recited by the congregation in unison; but there is much more than that attached to such "audible repetition," if we would reap the desired benefit from our use of this prayer. We need to consider what its original and spiritual significance is to us, or what it should be. The definition of "ears," given on page 585 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, as "not organs of the so-called corporeal senses, but spiritual understanding," was recently studied in connection with the familiar words quoted above, and brought much enlightenment to the student.

Since we can repeat only what we have heard or learned, and as in Christian Science to hear is to understand spiritually, it was seen that the real repetition consisted of a statement of certain facts which Truth had unfolded through spiritual understanding. But the study leads us beyond this, for it shows us that our statements must be "audible"; that is, they must be such that those present can understand the truth which we are voicing. Thus, as an essential part of our church services, we have the privilege and opportunity of declaring our knowledge of the truth as it is embodied in the Lord's Prayer.

Mrs. Eddy says of this prayer that it "covers all human needs" (Science and Health, p. 16); she also says, on the same page, that "only as we rise above all material sensuousness and sin, can we reach the heaven-born aspiration and spiritual consciousness, which is indicated in the Lord's Prayer and which instantaneously heals the sick." Thus, this prayer acknowledges the fatherhood of God, man as the son of God, the present power of good to overcome and protect us from all evil and to meet all our daily needs, and divine Love's unchanging sovereignty and glory manifested here, now, and forever. It tells all mankind of one infinite divine Principle and of His law working throughout the universe; and if we have demonstrated, even in part, our knowledge of Truth, then it follows that our "audible repetition of the Lord's Prayer" will result in the healing of sin and sickness in ourselves and in those who come to our meetings for help.

"Thy voice
Shall bear His message to them, and the might
Of His own Spirit going forth through thee
Shall bid the fallen rise, and break the chains
Of those who sit in darkness: then the dead
In trespasses and sins shall hear His call
And pass to life in Him. Moreover, they
Who know in part—who worship from afar—
Shall rise to fuller, deeper life, and find
A peace, a happiness unknown before."

If, however, we make our words but as the "vain repetitions" against which our Master warned his disciples when he taught them to pray, then we can realize no blessing in the use of this prayer; no benefit will be gained by our repeating mere words; and the hungry and thirsty who come to our meetings will go away unsatisfied with at least this part of our service. The very word "service," as applied to our church gatherings, should teach us to be alert to recognize every channel through which we can send out healing and saving messages of Truth, and every means by which we can serve others by love.

We see, then, that it is our spiritual understanding of the Lord's Prayer, and our application of it, that determine the value of it for us when we repeat it audibly at all our church services. Like mercy, such prayer is "twice blessed," in that it brings a realization of blessing to both the one who speaks and the one who hears the prayer repeated; while to him who hears and understands there is an unfoldment of infinite Love and a growth towards the realization of what Mrs. Eddy means by her statement in Science and Health (p. 1), where she says, "The prayer that reforms the sinner and heals the sick is an absolute faith that all things are possible to God,—a spiritual understanding of Him, an unselfed love."

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