"Arise , shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee." Do not the prophet's words convey the cheering, strengthening assurance of God's love and concern for all who trust in Him? "Thy light is come." It is here. The light of Truth dawns on the human consciousness first in faith, then unfolds in the full radiance of spiritual understanding.

The following incident may illustrate the feeling of safety which comes when one catches a gleam of spiritual light. A young girl who enjoyed skating remained until the sun went down and it began to grow dark. The path which led home from the skating pond extended through an open field, then up a hill, then through a pine grove, and finally led out on to a lighted street. It was very dark coming up through the woods, and her feet often slipped on the icy path, or tripped over the ice-covered, knotted roots which unexpectedly protruded from the ground. She was fearful over this part of the path until she caught the gleam of the street light, and with this light came a sense of protection. From then on her footing was more secure as she hummed a merry little tune, and almost before she knew it she was home.

We know that a way which is well lighted is much easier to travel than one which is partially or totally dark. To unillumined human consciousness the way of material sense, involving sickness, sin, and death, is indeed an extremely dark and oftentimes fearful journey, until the light of everpresent Love illumines one's thought. Mary Baker Eddy writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 538), "The sun, giving light and heat to the earth, is a figure of divine Life and Love, enlightening and sustaining the universe."

Christian Science reveals the way of light, a way not threatened with material beliefs in disease, fear, greed, lack, or death. We find this way unfolding in "paths of righteousness," with the light of the understanding of Truth, which reveals the beauty of God's creation, and uncovers the obstacles to progress that have to be uprooted and destroyed through seeing their unreality.

It is recorded in Genesis that "God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night." On page 504 of Science and Health we read: "This light is not from the sun nor from volcanic flames, but it is the revelation of Truth and of spiritual ideas. This also shows that there is no place where God's light is not seen, since Truth, Life, and Love fill immensity and are ever-present." One may ask, Of what benefit is it to me to know that God's light is everywhere present? Had the young girl walking through the woods fully realized the ever-presence of divine light, she would have felt with every step the protection and peace which Love affords.

We know that the sun is always shining. We have, however, only to hold an object in front of our eyes, and for us the sun, though not extinguished, is temporarily obscured. The instant the object is removed we find the sun shining in all its glory, and to us there is no obscuration. Man is the direct recipient of the light of Mind. He is always receiving all that the Father bestows. Hence we should repudiate the mesmeric belief that matter can separate us from the light of Truth and Love.

In divine Science, false belief has no motivating influence, and no effect. When we behold its unreality, the belief in its power to act or obscure is destroyed. Our Leader states (Science and Health, p. 215), "Whatever is governed by God, is never for an instant deprived of the light and might of intelligence and Life." This light of intelligence reveals God as infinite Mind, and man as the infinite idea. God's idea is in a degree as whole and perfect as its creator. And in this divine Mind there is no constraining force or impulse, no oppression or depression, no affliction, no erroneous impression, and no burden. All is Mind and its boundless expression. All is clear. We are truly conscious only of that of which divine Mind is conscious. When these truths are understood and realized, they bring us joy, health, success, and peace.

Perhaps one may believe that the correcting of some belief in a physical difficulty has already taken too long a time; that limitation in material accomplishments can take away his joy and freedom; that greed and dishonesty are handling his business associates; or that he has no place of employment, no home, and no friends. If these arguments are trying to darken one's outlook, let him digest the statement which our beloved Leader has so understandingly given us on page 242 of her textbook: "Self-love is more opaque than a solid body." Would not belief in any form of error tend to shut out or entirely obstruct the light of spiritual understanding which is so necessary to correct the belief? In spiritual understanding we have a solvent which, when utilized, is powerful enough to clear away any belief in a selfhood apart from God, good. We read in Revelation, "He that overcometh shall inherit all things." If we are to dissolve or overcome the darkening sense of selfhood separate from God, we must work intelligently and earnestly—not merely think about what we should like to accomplish—but actually do it. This will remove the obstacle. As we replace ingratitude with constant thankfulness, replace self-condemnation with true self-recognition, self-love with spiritual affection, self-righteousness with self-abnegation, and self-pity with service for others, the human self is spiritualized, enlightened, healed.

Jesus was a man of action and required those whom he healed to show some degree of activity. It mattered not to him how long an erroneous condition had claimed to exist. He required a willingness to be healed and the relinquishment of false beliefs. He asked the man who had had an infirmity thirty-eight years, "Wilt thou be made whole?" and later admonished him, "Sin no more." This man, to the human way of reasoning, was held fast in the bonds of self-centeredness. He had accepted the lie that matter, in this instance the Bethesda pool, could heal him. Can we not detect a grain of self-pity expressed when he answered Jesus, "Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool"? Could not Jesus see that he had no friends? Was there not a selfish fear that he would be deprived of his opportunity, his rightful place, when he added, "But while I am coming, another steppeth down before me." Self-will and self-justification would have had him stay right where he was, passively hoping that someone might take pity on him. There were probably many who saw him in this state of self-mesmerism, but only one who had the genuine compassion tenderly to lift him above it, to remove the obstacle so that the healing light could shine in his consciousness. Christ Jesus instantly saw what claimed to deprive this man of his heritage of freedom. He fully understood the spiritual fact that not one of God's ideas is bound by self-mesmerism or separated from the Father's loving care.

To Truth, perfection alone is real. The beacon light of Truth may have revealed the mental obstacles, but the beloved Master did not dwell on the false claims. His consciousness dwelt on the reality, on the completeness of the ever-present, everlasting Truth. And in this understanding we must abide if we would have the Christ-healing brought out today.