Article August 6, 1949 Issue

RECEIVING AND IMPARTING GOD'S GRACE

ISABEL RICHARDSON MOLTER

A Student of Christian Science, while pondering the Lord's Prayer with its inspired spiritual interpretation by Mary Baker Eddy in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (pp. 16, 17), caught a broader vision of its meaning and intent. She saw as never before how this prayer unites all Christian churches, and that the pronouns "our" and "us" include all mankind.

The words, "Give us this day our daily bread" (Matt. 6:11), have deep significance for every one of us. Material bread is that of which we partake regularly, food which is considered necessary for bodily nourishment, strength, vigor, and health. Even greater is mankind's need for spiritual bread, by which the daily task and responsibility are fulfilled with ability, wisdom, and love. "Give us grace for to-day; feed the famished affections," our Leader's spiritual interpretation of Jesus' words, brought joy and spiritual inspiration to the student. Quietly it entered her heart, and with reverent hope and desire she prayed: Give us Thy grace, O Love divine, expressed in patience, kindliness, tender and unselfed love; give us the grace of charitable forbearance with which to stop each angry word; give us "lips of gentleness and grace" with which to inspire and encourage the lonely heart; give us the grace of courtesy and friendliness, the grace of mercy and loving understanding; give us the grace of Soul's calmness, peace, and poise, the grace of a grateful heart, the grace of sweet humility, of purity, consecration, and Christlikeness.

She saw that infinite Love feeds our famished affections with abundant love, warmth, comfort, and compassion. Love opens our hearts, purifies our affections and motives, enabling us to receive the inflow of the tender mother-love which embraces all of God's children. Our hungering, longing hearts are fed with the true affection which pours forth from the great heart of Love.

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