One day I noticed during the study of the Weekly Bible Lesson that the original Greek word that was translated into the English word, "worshipped" in Acts 17 is basically,"therapeuo," which includes both the ideas of to serve and to restore to health, to heal, cure.  This was a particular gem for me that day, because it crystallized for me my thought of the healing practice as the way we Christian Scientists worship God.  Our worship goes far beyond the practice of ritual; our church, far beyond the walls of The Mother Church or our branch church.  Wherever Christian Science is practiced is church, and that can be wherever I am--the opportunity to heal is always present.  This opportunity is acted upon whenever we express kindness, respect, approval, etc.,--anytime we are expressing our highest ideas of divine Love.  Then are we adoring and worshipping our God, in practical ways that heal.

Acts 17:24, 25 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;...

AN OFFERING PURE OF LOVE

The title of this article is from one of the best-loved Hymns in the Christian Science Hymnal. It was written by Mary Baker Eddy, the Leader of the Christian Science movement, and is Hymn 253. The last stanza expresses, to me, the pure motive underlying all Christian Science practice. It is a prayer to do good everyday to everyone, to see everyone as God's own child, as the Father leads us. This is the pure offering to God: the sacrifice to give up the view of someone as less than this ideal.

My practice relies completely upon God (Truth, Life, Love, Principle, Mind, Spirit, Soul) as the Healer. There is no other remedy that I employ. As I see that God is truly the Employer, the patient can reciprocate by knowing that God is truly the Practitioner. "For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me...."(Job 23:14) "And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me." (John 8:16)

I want to say a few words about metaphysical healing, because Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered Christian Science, considered metaphysics important enough to call the college which she founded, "Massachusetts Metaphysical College." Furthermore, whereas she has only one reference to spiritual healing in her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, she has seven references to metaphysical healing; and in the rest of her works, three references to spiritual healing, compared to twenty-five references to metaphysical healing.

On page 68 of Miscellaneous Writings (a compilation of Mary Baker Eddy's writings selected by herself), she writes of the definitions of metaphysics in use during that time.  One of these is by Noah Webster:  'The science of the conceptions and relations which are necessary to thought and knowledge; science of the mind.'  To those who are startled by Mrs. Eddy's audacious use of the word science in her teaching, this passage throws much needed light.  This is entirely consistent throughout her writings.

What can we say of the past? That which has not been good in the past for you and me, as individuals, and collectively, in mankind's history, has been a mis-taken, or mist-taken (See mention of the mist in Genesis 2:6), perception--a having been seized, captured, or fascinated by common beliefs of mankind.

Because of the suffering it entails, we are willing to let misjudgments (misinterpretations) go, disappear from our experience, and be transformed by a new way of viewing things, by spiritual perception, spiritual sense. We are willing to let go of beliefs of sin, sickness, and death. As we let go the useless beliefs of sin, sickness, and death, the tares, we are being purified, washed clean, freed. We are being restored to health, healed, cured. We are actually seeing, more clearly and truly, the state of the Supreme Being that has always been with us, upholding us faithfully. This righteous view may be glimpses of reality, flashes of intuition at times, but the more we excercise and practice this way of viewing things, we are putting on the royal robe of the returned Prodigal, and righteousness is seen to be our very nature. This is our advancement in understanding. This is progress.