The Word That Heals

The “Word,” as used by St. John, is the Logos or divine thought conveyed to man. This meaning has been adopted by theologians to express the manner in which God may manifest himself to humanity. We find frequent reference in the Bible to “the Word,” particularly in St. John’s Gospel,—”In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God. . . . And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” “The Word” as here used, is commonly understood to mean the Holy Scriptures, or some particular revelation of God to man. This phrase, “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,” deals especially with the expression of Mind as given in the Scripture,—”He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”

The Word of God as uttered by the ancient prophets, and later by the apostles, frequently healed the sick. The power of the Word, if it be uttered with the conviction of understanding and demonstration, begets health and the “beauty of holiness.” It is made practical through its manifestation in physical healing. “And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.”

It was said of Jesus, “Never man spake like this man.” For him to say, “Stretch forth thine hand,” was to declare the Word of Truth which restored the withered member perfect as the other. Of the disciples it is said, “Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.” Again, while two of them were reasoning together, he drew near to go with them, “and beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” Imbued with the spirit of so marvelous an exposition, these two men exclaimed, “Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” This shows that to gain such an exalted sense of the Scripture truths, inspiration is required in order to translate them. Only through spiritual interpretation does the great factor of Christian healing become evident, for “it is the spirit that quickeneth.” Indeed the spiritual meaning of the Word must be the factor most in evidence.

In all our utterances, whether spoken or written, the thought of the life-giving Spirit must be dominant, to attest their sincerity; we should always be actuated by a sense of its power, that their healing effect may not be obscured. God’s Word moves in spiritual grooves to raise the human mind to the contemplation of spiritual realities. Words which do not express Love may have the letter of consistency and yet be “as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.” They are meaningless because they lack the true animus. Words which help and heal can only come from one who is imbued with a sense of divine Love. Without it a translator’s personality only obscures the light and separates the student from the divine intent. It behooves us, therefore, to consider the source of all religious statement, that no misconceptions of an uninspired translator be permitted to cloud our sense of Truth.

This recalls the deep significance of the fact that there are a hundred pages of testimonials, comprising the chapter on “Fruitage,” in “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures” by Mrs. Eddy, which prove that the simple reading of this text-book heals the sick and sinning. Its study reveals a spiritual presence, the message of Truth which is confirmed by the signs of spiritual healing. This wonderful book has proved adequate in bringing to our expanding thought the life-giving power of spiritual understanding. “God is Spirit; therefore the language of Spirit must be, and is, spiritual” (Science and Health, p. 117). This explains why Science and Health unlocks the Scriptures; its effect on the sick and sinning is to uplift and spiritualize thought in line with Paul’s injunction, “Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

When Jesus restored the withered hand by the power of the Word, he illustrated the scientific application of his recognition of the perfect idea, his spiritual understanding of man as he really is. Whenever the power of the Word breaks the spell of infirmity, displacing deformity with grace and beauty, it manifests the science and art of Christian healing. We are all more or less sculptors, and our ideals of God and man constitute our models. Some of these may be wholly unworthy, because the fleshy pattern is permitted to assume the place of the living ideal of Truth. It would be mere presumption for any one to set himself up as sufficient to declare a work of art perfect, either in painting or sculpture, because the artist’s ideal may suggest something not yet attained. Even such an ideal must be imperfect, by reason of the imperfection of mortal thought. The pure science of mathematics, however, is not marred by such human limitations. As the application and expression of Christian healing is understood, its art becomes the handmaid of a demonstrable Science, since it has a perfect model.

The law of physics, which obtains in mortal mind as an educated belief, produces its own language. Turning to ultra-physics, or divine metaphysics, to contemplate the Word which heals,—which Jesus said “shall not pass away,”—we perceive the language of Spirit to be no longer an unknown tongue; the Word is found performing the works of primitive Christianity, the signs following. “When that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.” As both soil and rain co-operate to nourish the plant, so the statement and demonstration of the Word portray the perfect man.

The only permanent good one can do is through unselfish love and tenderness; and pure Christianity demonstrates these divine attributes in thought and deed. Such thoughts expressed in words, however feebly uttered, are acceptable to the receptive thought,—”the poor in spirit.” Then we learn the lesson that it is the spirit of the words—sincerity of purpose and tender persuasion—which converts the rude speech of the shepherd lad into a rhythmic flow that is richest melody to the sick and sorrowing. Of such it may well be said, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

Let us strive to understand and utter the new tongue, the life-giving Word of Truth, that we may bring to others sweet surcease from the world’s ills. We may have wandered into the far country of mortal belief, but however much we may become habituated to the husks of materialism with its comfortless words, we can yet catch the far-off cry, “I will not leave you comfortless.” Then we come into our spiritual estate, into our true inheritance, through the guidance of Christian Science, and know what it means to be the sons and daughters of God.