The True Sense of Love

THE question, Who and what is God? had always puzzled me, and when I began the study of Christian Science and found the answer given in our text-book: “God is divine Principle, supreme incorporeal Being, Mind, Spirit, Soul, Life, Truth, Love” (Science and Health, p. 465), I was at first unable to comprehend it, and I felt as if I had nothing tangible to grasp. The Scripture says, “There shall no man see me, and live,” but we find through the understanding which Science gives that we can become acquainted with God to such an extent as to be always conscious of His presence and assured of His help.

I have seen little children who were beginning to reason out things for themselves, puzzled and perplexed over the false human concept of God, as responsible for human conditions,—sin and sickness,—but in studying this subject in the light of Christian Science they apprehend the truth readily and are healed by it. Many thoughts have unfolded to me most wonderfully, as I have learned that what we know of God is good, and good only.

In Christian Science we come to understand God through the divine attributes, as we see them reflected. For instance, we perceive that gentleness is a reflection of a divine quality, and the same is true of patience, of justice, mercy, and goodness. We come to understand Truth as it is reflected by a truthful man, whose word we can rely upon at any time; and as the true sense of Love unfolds to us in Science, we seek to express that which touches our own heart, thus passing it on to others, and so we at last learn to know God as unchanging divine Principle.

This understanding does away with the limited sense of a personal God, and gives us a God of infinite and holy attributes, a God who is Love; and this God we come to love with all our hearts and with all our strength, and as we learn to love the divine attributes we express or reflect them.

Love for God and love for man is our motto in Christian Science, and we cannot afford to lose sight of it. It is Love which bids us go forth on the errands of mercy, to whisper to the sad and desolate, “You are loved,” or to send the flowers that bear sweet messages of true sympathy and helpfulness.

I shall never forget the first and only time I ever saw Mrs. Eddy. It was at Concord, in front of the church there, a few years ago. Three times her carriage passed by; the first time she was wondrously quiet,—there was even a look of sadness on her face; the second time her face lighted up with a smile, as here and there she recognized one in the throng of her followers who were waiting to see her; the third time she leaned forward in the carriage and looked out of the window, and bowed with smiles, but when she got to where I was her face was turned in the opposite direction, and I thought I should not see her again, when, as she was almost by, she turned and bowed, with a sweet and loving light upon her face that seemed to say, “I love you all.” This thought was with me for many days afterwards, and whenever I think of her now, it is always in connection with the thought of infinite Love as she reflected it that day. Our Leader’s heart is so full of love that it expresses itself in her face, and when I hear any criticism of her it makes me smile to myself, for I think, If they could only see that loving face and feel the inspiration of her presence, they too would love her.

There are many who first learn to know divine Love through those whom they daily see, and this should be a constant reminder to us of our opportunities to reflect God, good. If we know God through the expression of the divine attributes, should we not also love the one who expresses Love? The apostle John says, “Every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.” We see and love the good as we see it manifested through God’s children, through the beauties of nature, and this love, when based upon the understanding of divine Principle, enables us to obey the command, “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”

Jesus appreciated even the human sense of love, and he often visited the home of Lazarus, where the two sisters welcomed him and where he found true appreciation and sympathy. When Mary Magdalene washed his feet with her tears, he was touched by her love and gratitude. He did not shun her or prevent her from bestowing her precious gift of ointment, and methinks there must have been wondrous compassion in his eyes as he accepted what she so lovingly gave. Again, what great affection he must have had for John, the beloved disciple, who leaned upon his breast. As Scientists, we go in and out among those who are in the world, striving to do them good and we must of necessity know and attain the true sense of love, because our acts may be misinterpreted, our sympathy sneered at and even ridiculed, and yet we cannot allow such things to move us; we must simply love and work on, while we hold more firmly to the hand of divine Love and remember that “[Love is] not easily provoked, nor does she reckon up her wrongs” (Twentieth Century Translation).

There is a mighty difference between the human sense of love and the divine. The former causes us more pain than pleasure, on account of its limitation in all directions; but when we learn to know what spiritual love is, then it enriches, ennobles, and uplifts our natures to such an extent that we are conscious of a fulness we never had before. Life seems to have a grander and a deeper meaning; we are conscious of having gained something that can never be taken away, and in proportion to our consciousness of this love do we brighten the lives we touch.

Divine Love can never be anything less than pure and holy, no matter what the mortal belief may be. It is for us to respond more fully to the divine influence, that we may live in the fullest sense. If one has a plant that is not catching the sun’s rays, he need not expect the sun to change its course in order to shine upon the plant, but he can change the position of the plant so that it can drink in the sunshine and blossom out in beauty and strength. Divine Love is to poor suffering humanity what the sunshine is to the earth, and all must come to see this. We who name the name of Christ in Christian Science are called upon to show to others the power of Love, and Mrs. Eddy has set us the example by the life she lives and the love she radiates.