She just had to reach him, but it looked impossible. The whole town must have crowded around the pier, hoping to spot him when he got out of the boat. She wasn’t even supposed to be there, but she had to get to him, even if it meant pushing past scores of people. Then she’d finally be free!
That’s the background of a story reported in the Gospel according to Luke (see 8:40, 43-48) and included in this week’s Christian Science Bible Lesson on the topic of “Christian Science.” The woman had been hemorrhaging for 12 years. She had used all her resources looking for a cure, but nothing had worked. Now she turned to Christ Jesus, trusting that this inspired preacher, who had already healed so many, would help her, too.
But he was surrounded by people, all crowded together and jostling each other, and her ailment meant that anyone she touched would be considered unclean – and she would be blamed.
Despite the obstacles, the woman knew that Christ Jesus would help her. With unwavering persistence she pushed through the crowd until she could touch him – and she was healed immediately. In explanation, Jesus said, “Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.” Her faith, her confident belief in the healing power of the Christ and her willingness to act consistently with that belief, had enabled her to overcome all obstacles and experience the healing she desperately needed.
It might be surprising to think that someone today could be in a similar situation. After all, the master Christian is no longer walking the streets. Rather, Christian Science, which explains his unparalleled healing work, shows that the Christ – God’s clear message of truth and love that Jesus so fully demonstrated – is eternally present and active, transforming lives today just as in Jesus’ time.
But now, rather than coming physically to Christ Jesus for healing, we approach Christ in our thought. And so today it’s the distractions of modern life that might seem to come between us and the healing Christ. Societal pressures, too, may seem to be deterrents. Perhaps there’s something in our lives that makes us feel unworthy, not good enough to pray.
But we all have an innate ability to strive, to persist, in approaching Christ, which communicates to us the encouraging, healing spiritual facts of our true nature as the very expression of divine Love – entirely spiritual, whole, and pure.
Earlier this year I was cycling through the city at rush hour, going to a meeting at church. To avoid some construction I took a route that involved traveling at higher speeds and in heavier traffic than usual. A kilometer from the church I turned a corner too fast and landed hard in the intersection a little distance from my bicycle. Even before I hit the ground, I turned to God, mentally affirming that He was present and keeps everyone safe.
There was a break in the traffic just then, so I could take a moment to stand up, collect my glasses and bike (including the pieces that had been knocked off), and go onto the sidewalk. Bystanders asked if I was all right and offered to call paramedics, but I assured them that I was fine and began walking to church.
As I walked, several unhelpful thoughts seemed to be crowding in and preventing me from grasping the healing ideas that I needed. Maybe the accident was my fault; I should have taken my usual route. It would be hard to push the bike all the way to church after hitting the pavement so hard, and I had something needed for the meeting, so arriving late wasn’t an option. Then there was the much longer walk home followed by another three kilometers to the repair shop.
But no matter how reasonable these concerns appeared, they didn’t deter me from mentally seeking Christ. The Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, writes, “We approach God, or Life, in proportion to our spirituality, our fidelity to Truth and Love; …” (“Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” p. 95). I held to the truth of God’s – divine Truth and Love’s – presence and protection. Man – every man, woman, and child as God created us and knows us – can never actually be separated from God’s love even for a moment, whether by worry or by a physical event.
The result was that I reached the church in plenty of time and had no trouble doing the extensive walking that I needed to until my bicycle was repaired. The bruises and abrasions I had suffered in the fall disappeared within days.
Following in the footsteps of that woman from so long ago, we can all approach the Christ, undeterred by apparent obstacles, and experience healing.
