Infinite blessings

“Clean hands and a pure heart.” The Psalmist tells us that’s what we need in order to “receive the blessing from the Lord” (Psalms 24:4, 5 , citation 9). And this week’s Christian Science Bible Lesson, titled “Sacrament,” overflows with examples of the blessings that purity brings!

Take the story of Naaman for example (see II Kings 5, cit. 4), who was afflicted with leprosy. His path to healing began with the servant girl who waited on his wife. The two couldn’t have been more opposite. Naaman was a “great man,” she was a nameless “little maid;” he was a captain, she was a captive; he was from victorious Syria, she was from lowly Israel. But her confidence in God’s healing power led Naaman to Elisha, the prophet. And after a breakthrough lesson in humility and obedience, Naaman was indeed healed. His skin became clean and pure like “the flesh of a little child” (verse 14 )—like the little maid. No longer ignorant of God, Naaman glimpsed the salvation that is “Life, Truth, and Love understood and demonstrated as supreme over all; ...” (Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 593 , cit. 7).

Though baptism per se isn’t mentioned in the Old Testament, Naaman’s dipping in the river Jordan symbolized his purification and change of heart. Centuries later, John the Baptist preached “the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” (Mark 1:4 , cit. 8). In earnest acknowledgment of the superior mission of Jesus Christ, John said, “I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost” (Mark 1:8 ). Jesus challenged hypocrisy and resistance (see Matthew 23, cit. 13) and taught the blessings awaiting the pure in heart (see the Beatitudes, Matthew 5, cit. 12). As Science and Health puts it, “The baptism of Spirit, washing the body of all the impurities of flesh, signifies that the pure in heart see God and are approaching spiritual Life and its demonstration” (p. 241 , cit. 12).

With clean hands and a pure heart, we can discover the spiritual significance of the Last Supper, when Jesus, sharing with his disciples, “took bread, and blessed it” and “took the cup, and gave thanks” (Matthew 26:26, 27 , cit. 14). Eukharistéō, the Greek word for “give thanks,” gives us the English word, eucharist, which is synonymous with sacrament or communion. For many Christians, the sacrament is a rite of remembrance of the Last Supper, but Science and Health cautions, “The true sense is spiritually lost, if the sacrament is confined to the use of bread and wine” (p. 32 , cit. 20).

The good news is that the story doesn’t end with the Last Supper or the crucifixion. Through the resurrection, Jesus confirmed his mission and teachings and called on his followers to take his message throughout the world (see Mark 16:15 , cit. 18). And through the resurrection, “Jesus gave the true idea of being, which results in infinite blessings to mortals” (Science and Health, p. 325 , cit. 28). Infinite blessings! For that, eukharistoûmen, let’s give thanks!