What would it have been like to be part of the crowd that followed Christ Jesus? How would you have felt as you listened to him teach and witnessed some of his healings? Wouldn't it be likely that you would have felt something of the love of God that Jesus so naturally expressed?

The Gospels tell us of the Master's compassionate, practical response to those who asked to be healed. For instance, Matthew records that once a leper said to him quite simply, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean." We read, "And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed." ^{Matt. 8:2, 3.}

On another occasion when Jesus visited Peter's house, the disciple's mother-in-law was laid low with a fever, but with one touch Jesus healed the fever, and the woman was able to get up at once and serve a meal for the household. ^{See Mark 1:29–31 .}

We have an advantage of sorts over those who crowded around Jesus in the first century. We're able to read his sayings and parables and teachings gathered in the Bible. We can see that behind the Master's compassionate healing outreach was his understanding of his sonship with God. This gave him the power and authority to heal. Yet the presence of the eternal Christ he expressed was not confined to Jesus' lifetime. After his resurrection and ascension the disciples were able to go on bearing witness to the risen Christ in healing. In fact the early Christian Church was established as a direct result of healing.

Christ, Truth, must be present today, even as in early Christianity. Christ dispels doubt and fear and shows man's sinless, spiritual nature in God's likeness. Christian Science teaches that sin and illness are not the reality of man's true being, which is ever at one with divine Love. Whatever is unlike the nature of this infinite Love must be a misconception, part of the dream of a material existence separated from God.

The mortal dream gives way before the presence and power of Christ, Truth, as it did in Jesus' day. Mary Baker Eddy, who founded Christian Science, describes this awakening to the reality of spiritual existence in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: "This awakening is the forever coming of Christ, the advanced appearing of Truth, which casts out error and heals the sick. This is the salvation which comes through God, the divine Principle, Love, as demonstrated by Jesus." ^{Science and Health, p. 230.}

This may sound theoretical and improbable until we actually feel God's healing presence. Among many experiences I've had that showed me this healing touch of Love was one this last winter. I had always enjoyed ice-skating but hadn't had an opportunity to do it for some years. I set out onto the ice, and I was just beginning to get things together when I tripped on a rough patch and fell, landing hard on my head.

Many people quickly came to my aid. When I had collected my thoughts, I reached out to God in prayer and immediately felt a change even as I lay there on the ice. After a little while I asked a friend who was with me to take me home.

My friend called a Christian Science nurse, who set out at once for my house. In the meantime I spoke to a Christian Science practitioner and asked her to pray for me. She assured me that because God, Spirit, is everywhere, and I was His perfect spiritual idea, I had never in fact fallen out of His presence.

She also reminded me of Mrs. Eddy's recovery from severe injuries sustained in a fall. It was in the light of this healing that Mrs. Eddy was able to write later, "That there is but one God or Life, one cause and one effect, is the multum in parvo of Christian Science; and to my understanding it is the heart of Christianity, the religion that Jesus taught and demonstrated." ^{Miscellaneous Writings, p. 25.}

I tried to understand what it is to stand on the threshold of such a discovery that God is Life and the source of all being—that there is only one true cause and its effect. As I prayed to comprehend these basic truths of Christian Science, I felt the assurance of being embraced in God's love and the certainty of the healing Christ with me.

By the time the nurse arrived, the bleeding had stopped. She cleansed the wound, and I spent a quiet evening in prayer. I had a peaceful night. The healing took place rapidly and I was certainly grateful for that, but the best part of the healing was the afterglow—the touch of divine Love that I felt for several days. And not only for myself, but I could sense this presence of Love resting on everyone alike.

It reminded me of the Bible account of the blessing Jesus received from the Father after his baptism when "he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." ^{Matt. 3:16, 17.}

Today we can feel something of this same divine Love as the Christ breaks through and awakens us to our uninterrupted relationship to God as His beloved child. The truth is that the Father is always pleased with the child of His creating. And when we reach out to God in prayer and praise, we feel the irresistible healing touch of this divine Love.

Ann Kenrick

Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
yea, our God is merciful. ...
For thou hast delivered my soul from death,
mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.

Psalms 116:5, 8