Article January 13, 1986 Issue

Love knows no barriers

MAJA JOANNA GECK

After World War II, I was involved with aid to individuals in countries that had been devastated by warfare. My work included finding those who had been displaced because of the war. But my efforts in this endeavor were blocked by the iron curtain. All communications with friends behind it had been cut off. Still, I knew that Love knows no barriers, and so I prayed for inspiration and direction.

One day I was reading the first chapter of Genesis and was arrested by the seventh verse, which reads: "God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament." Subsequently I was prompted to look up the word firmament in the Glossary of the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy. I found this enlightening definition: "Firmament. Spiritual understanding; the scientific line of demarcation between Truth and error, between Spirit and so-called matter."^{Science and Health, p. 586.} Elsewhere the textbook states, "Understanding is the line of demarcation between the real and unreal." A study of these passages helped me to see that the only true line of demarcation was spiritual understanding. Earlier on the page just quoted, the textbook states, "Spiritual understanding, by which human conception, material sense, is separated from Truth, is the firmament."^{Ibid.., p. 505.}

My thoughts were suddenly illumined, and I reasoned that if God, Spirit, is All, as the Bible assures us, Truth, being God, is All. Error has no place in Truth. I saw clearly that this so-called iron curtain—this human obstruction—did not have the substance of divine reality or Spirit. I understood more fully that God, being All, fills all space. As a result, my fear of and belief in an imaginary but powerful wall between East and West, or anywhere else, disappeared. I was now filled with love, joy, gratitude, and expectation. And what do you think happened? Eventually I received communications from those whom I had previously tried in vain to reach.

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