Magnifying the light of God

I recently visited the Point Reyes Lighthouse, a National Historic Landmark on the California coast. Built in 1867, it houses a first-order Fresnel lens made of 1,032 glass prisms that can take the light of a single oil lamp and project it approximately 24 miles to the horizon – without the use of electricity.

The lens magnifies the light through the prisms so that it can radiate out across the ocean surface. When the lighthouse operated to guide ships, it would pierce the foggy darkness, providing a beacon to help them navigate along the rocky shore.

When we’re navigating a rocky situation, even a tiny spark, just an inkling, of understanding God can help illuminate our way through the fog, or complexities, of human life. And studying Christian Science aids in magnifying that spark, making it clearer and brighter to us, allowing the light of God, Truth, to guide us into a greater understanding of the reality and omnipotence of good and the unreality and powerlessness of evil.

Mary Baker Eddy wrote that Christian Science operates like a prism – “the prism of Truth, which divides its rays and brings out the hues of Deity” (“Retrospection and Introspection,” p. 35). She also wrote, “The lens of Science magnifies the divine power to human sight; and we then see the supremacy of Spirit and the nothingness of matter” (“Miscellaneous Writings 1883-1896,” p. 194).

Christian Science increases our understanding of God as infinite, ever-present Spirit. And as the Bible shows, familiarity with Spirit as the only real power in the universe helps individuals facing all types of danger, including war, harsh weather, disease, and poverty.

Today, many who regularly study the Christian Science textbook, “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures” by Mrs. Eddy – a book that’s been bringing healing to its readers for 150 years – feel this saving spiritual illumination.

Christ Jesus’ example shows us how to turn away from material definitions of life by getting to know God as incorporeal divine Life. As we understand God better, we find divine inspiration to navigate “rocky waters,” no matter how dark the way may seem. Jesus came to “make plain to benighted understanding the way of salvation” (Science and Health, p. vii). He perfectly expressed Christ, the spiritual idea of God, Love.

Embodying Christ, even during his most bitter trials, Jesus was steadfast in his understanding of God’s allness. He prayed ceaselessly and loved consistently. He demonstrated his unity with God, encouraging his followers to “believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light” (John 12:36, New International Version).

Our forever purpose is to be these “children of light” – fully conscious that, as the expression of Spirit, we can never be deprived of God’s power and care. Christian Science helps us feel this. In the light of spiritual understanding, we gain new views of life, health, relationships, and world events that were not evident to us before.

Finding the spiritual illumination that casts out dark thoughts may feel difficult. But as we faithfully tend our light through devotion to understanding God with prayer and watchfulness, we keep alive the flame of spiritual good in our hearts, as the lighthouse keeper of old would tend to the lamp at the heart of the lighthouse.

Christian Science shows that mortality and materialism stem from mental darkness – a belief in matter as the source and substance of life and existence. But this standpoint changes when God’s goodness and power illumine thought, bringing to our understanding and experience the reality of the kingdom of heaven, where the children of God dwell eternally.

How do we retain the light of spiritual understanding, especially when the gloom of a material view would appear to shut it out? Mrs. Eddy wrote in a letter to members of a branch Church of Christ, Scientist, “Let your light reflect Light. Have no ambition, affection, nor aim apart from holiness. Forget not for a moment, that God is All-in-all” (Miscellaneous Writings, pp. 154-155).

We find this Light, God, in our hearts as we continue walking in Spirit’s radiance and turning from false, materialistic misperceptions to a better understanding of Spirit, God – His ever-presence and all-power. Then, there’s no room left in consciousness for any other presence or power. Having our only aim be holiness restores our clear sense of spiritual being in the realm of harmony, where the children of God forever abide – and shine.

Adapted from an editorial published in the March 17, 2025, issue of the Christian Science Sentinel.