Responsive Reading: Psalm 8 : 1-6

1.     O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.

2.     Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

3.     When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;

4.     What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

5.     For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.

6.     Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet.

1. Isaiah 1 : 18

18     Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

2. Isaiah 55 : 1-3, 6, 7

1     Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

2     Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

3     Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

6     Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

7     Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

3. John 3 : 16-18 (to :)

16     For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17     For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18     He that believeth on him is not condemned:

4. Luke 7 : 36-50

36     And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat.

37     And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,

38     And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

39     Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.

40     And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.

41     There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

42     And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?

43     Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

44     And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.

45     Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

46     My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.

47     Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

48     And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

49     And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?

50     And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

5. John 1 : 12 (as many)-14, 16

12     …as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

13     Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14     And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

16     And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

6. Ephesians 2 : 4 (God), 5

4     God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

5     Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

7. Romans 8 : 1-4

1     There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2     For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3     For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

4     That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

8. Titus 2 : 11-14

11     For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

12     Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

13     Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

14     Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

9. II Corinthians 12 : 9 (to 1st .)

9     And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

1. 589 : 9 (God)-10 (to and), 10 (man)-11

God is the divine Principle of all existence, and … man is His idea, the child of His care.

2. 475 : 7-9, 14-16 (to ;)

The Scriptures inform us that man is made in the image and likeness of God. … He is the compound idea of God, including all right ideas; the generic term for all that reflects God's image and likeness;

3. 332 : 4 (Father)-5

Father-Mother is the name for Deity, which indicates His tender relationship to His spiritual creation.

4. 6 : 17-18

"God is Love." More than this we cannot ask, higher we cannot look, farther we cannot go.

5. 333 : 19-23

Throughout all generations both before and after the Christian era, the Christ, as the spiritual idea, — the reflection of God, — has come with some measure of power and grace to all prepared to receive Christ, Truth.

6. 42 : 1-2 (to ,)

Jesus' life proved, divinely and scientifically, that God is Love,

7. 35 : 30 only

The design of Love is to reform the sinner.

8. 494 : 15 (The)-19

The miracle of grace is no miracle to Love. Jesus demonstrated the inability of corporeality, as well as the infinite ability of Spirit, thus helping erring human sense to flee from its own convictions and seek safety in divine Science.

9. 362 : 1-7

It is related in the seventh chapter of Luke's Gospel that Jesus was once the honored guest of a certain Pharisee, by name Simon, though he was quite unlike Simon the disciple. While they were at meat, an unusual incident occurred, as if to interrupt the scene of Oriental festivity. A "strange woman" came in.

10. 363 : 1-24, 31-7

She bore an alabaster jar containing costly and fragrant oil, — sandal oil perhaps, which is in such common use in the East. Breaking the sealed jar, she perfumed Jesus' feet with the oil, wiping them with her long hair, which hung loosely about her shoulders, as was customary with women of her grade.

Did Jesus spurn the woman? Did he repel her adoration? No! He regarded her compassionately. Nor was this all. Knowing what those around him were saying in their hearts, especially his host, — that they were wondering why, being a prophet, the exalted guest did not at once detect the woman's immoral status and bid her depart, — knowing this, Jesus rebuked them with a short story or parable. He described two debtors, one for a large sum and one for a smaller, who were released from their obligations by their common creditor. "Which of them will love him most?" was the Master's question to Simon the Pharisee; and Simon replied, "He to whom he forgave most." Jesus approved the answer, and so brought home the lesson to all, following it with that remarkable declaration to the woman, "Thy sins are forgiven."

Why did he thus summarize her debt to divine Love? … Certainly there was encouragement in the mere fact that she was showing her affection for a man of undoubted goodness and purity, who has since been rightfully regarded as the best man that ever trod this planet. Her reverence was unfeigned, and it was manifested towards one who was soon, though they knew it not, to lay down his mortal existence in behalf of all sinners, that through his word and works they might be redeemed from sensuality and sin.

11. 364 : 17-31

Do Christian Scientists seek Truth as Simon sought the Saviour, through material conservatism and for personal homage? Jesus told Simon that such seekers as he gave small reward in return for the spiritual purgation which came through the Messiah. If Christian Scientists are like Simon, then it must be said of them also that they love little.

On the other hand, do they show their regard for Truth, or Christ, by their genuine repentance, by their broken hearts, expressed by meekness and human affection, as did this woman? If so, then it may be said of them, as Jesus said of the unwelcome visitor, that they indeed love much, because much is forgiven them.

12. 67 : 23-24

Grace and Truth are potent beyond all other means and methods.

13. 365 : 15-24

If the Scientist reaches his patient through divine Love, the healing work will be accomplished at one visit, and the disease will vanish into its native nothingness like dew before the morning sunshine. If the Scientist has enough Christly affection to win his own pardon, and such commendation as the Magdalen gained from Jesus, then he is Christian enough to practise scientifically and deal with his patients compassionately; and the result will correspond with the spiritual intent. 

14. 455 : 3-6

A mental state of self-condemnation and guilt or a faltering and doubting trust in Truth are unsuitable conditions for healing the sick. Such mental states indicate weakness instead of strength.

15. 292 : 27-31

This carnal material mentality, misnamed mind, is mortal. Therefore man would be annihilated, were it not for the spiritual real man's indissoluble connection with his God, which Jesus brought to light.

16. 476 : 28-5

When speaking of God's children, not the children of men, Jesus said, "The kingdom of God is within you;" that is, Truth and Love reign in the real man, showing that man in God's image isunfallen and eternal. Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God's own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick. Thus Jesus taught that the kingdom of God is intact, universal, and that man is pure and holy.

17. 4 : 12-16

The habitual struggle to be always good is unceasing prayer. Its motives are made manifest in the blessings they bring, — blessings which, even if not acknowledged in audible words, attest our worthiness to be partakers of Love.

18. 26 : 1-9

While we adore Jesus, and the heart overflows with gratitude for what he did for mortals, — treading alone his loving pathway up to the throne of glory, in speechless agony exploring the way for us, — yet Jesus spares us not one individual experience, if we follow his commands faithfully; and all have the cup of sorrowful effort to drink in proportion to their demonstration of his love, till all are redeemed through divine Love.