One realizes when one reads the Gospel accounts of Jesus' ministry how much he must have longed for his chosen disciples to appreciate and accept the deeper spiritual meaning that underlay all he said and did for their enlightenment. He knew that only their awareness of the reality and truth of the relationship between God and man as Father and son would convey to them the ability to heal.

They needed to learn, even as we do, that God, not matter or material conditions, is the source of man's health. This truth was the basis of Jesus' power and marvelous demonstrations—a fact which he acknowledged and accepted and which enabled him to see through the illusion of the senses and to heal with unerring certainty those who came to him for help and salvation.

One begins to understand the great patience and the loving, gentle leadership which characterized his every word and demonstration of Truth made in their presence to help them to "go and do... likewise" (Luke 10:37).

Mrs. Eddy says in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 200), "It was the consummate naturalness of Truth in the mind of Jesus, that made his healing easy and instantaneous." When through the study of our Master's life and works we begin to find the "naturalness of Truth" and apply ourselves to the practice of it in daily life, we too can begin to heal as he did.

The study of the Bible, through the revelation that has come to us in Christian Science, will bring new and radiant light to all the events recorded there, events that have been for so long regarded as miracles belonging only to that day and age.

It is strange to us that the disciples were not more receptive to all Jesus showed and taught them and that his teachings remained blurred and indistinct to them for so long, indeed right up to the time of his crucifixion. It was only after many instances of healing, as demonstrated by Jesus, that their darkness began to be dispelled, and they turned to light. He must have realized that the disciples needed to learn bit by bit and were not ready to grasp all he could have given them at that period.

On the mount of transfiguration, it would appear that he was giving the three disciples who accompanied him a chance to see through the veil of mortal sense and to rise into further spiritual understanding. Here the eyes of these men were opened to some extent.

It seems as if in his infinite wisdom and love, Jesus sometimes made his approach to their unenlightened senses through the human touch of affection, a love they could feel and understand.

In the eighth chapter of Matthew we read that Jesus "put forth his hand, and touched" the leper whom he was about to heal. Was not this simple and spontaneous manifestation of pure affection an evidence of divine Love and its ever-availability to help and heal instantaneously? Mrs. Eddy says, "The divinity of the Christ was made manifest in the humanity of Jesus" (Science and Health, p. 25). She taught that love must be expressed and lived in daily life, or it bears no fruit.

When Jesus brought to life the little daughter of Jairus it is related that he took her "by the hand" (Mark 5:41). She awoke, and life became evident. During his ministry after the resurrection, Peter bent down to the crippled man who lay at the gate called Beautiful and "took him by the right hand, and lifted him up" (Acts 3:7). And the man arose and walked.

An outstanding case of this symbolic extending of the human hand to help occurs in Matthew's account of Jesus' walking on the water. Peter, trying to do likewise, lost his faith when he was sinking and cried out for help. Jesus heard the cry and "stretched forth his hand, and caught him" (14:31). How Peter's fears must have vanished!

In our practice, in our daily contacts with those who are struggling and who are sorely troubled, not yet ready to grasp the ultimate spiritual vision that saves and heals, can we not perhaps help them with the touch of affection and friendship, with deep compassion and a willingness and a desire to meet their need just where they seem to be? Is not such an expression of the Christ the showing forth of the love of God?

Christian Science urges the expression of that love in every avenue of human experience. The demonstration of all that Love can achieve in our present experience is all-important. This demonstration demands that we sometimes bend down to reach and save.

Mrs. Eddy says (Science and Health, p. 113): "The letter of Science plentifully reaches humanity to-day, but its spirit comes only in small degrees. The vital part, the heart and soul of Christian Science, is Love." Our Leader understood the need for the practical expression of Love. She herself constantly showed forth the all-embracing nature of Love and made it clear that we should follow her example.

Wherever Love is truly expressed, mankind will reach out to the healing Truth and come to drink of the water that satisfies, the water which flows forever freely to all who are athirst and who seek it.

All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is the Lord's: and he is the governor among the nations.—Psalm 22:27,28.