From Hope to Wholeness

“Your faith has made you whole.”

These are the words that the Gospel writers often attribute to Jesus, words he spoke in response to those who experienced healing in his presence. (Mark 5:34 & 10:52; Luke 8:48 & 17:19)  Jesus did not claim any special power of healing; instead he said it is “faith” that makes one “whole”.

I offer that when Jesus used the word that has been translated into English as ‘whole’ that he was referring to something beyond the physical: he was naming a state of consciousness.  In Unity we learn to interpret Scripture metaphysically and allegorically.  We do not categorically deny that the so-called “miracles” attributed to Jesus actually happened; rather we prefer to understand them as allegory for what takes place in consciousness, so as to make the stories applicable in our lives today.

Jesus, as a master metaphysician, knew that healing takes place in consciousness and that all manifestations demonstrate according to consciousness.  Jesus, as we understand him, lived primarily from the Christ consciousness, the consciousness of Unity, knowing his Oneness.  His mission was to impart to his disciples and other followers the Truth of Oneness.  He stated his mission emphatically in John 18:37 when he said, “I have come to bear witness to the Truth.”  

In fulfilling his mission, he did not bear witness to the demonstrations of a consciousness of duality, lack or limitation. He did not bear witness to disease or death.  From the Christ consciousness he only saw the perfection, the wholeness inherent in all creation.  When he experienced the physical manifestation of the consciousness of Unity, he affirmed, “Your faith has made you whole.”  I assert that perhaps a more meaningful interpretation would be, “through the power of your faith you have remembered your wholeness.”

In Unity, we affirm that through faith, which is understood as our ability to see and know the Truth of wholeness, even in the midst of physical demonstrations that would have us believe otherwise, we can attain the Christ consciousness and know our wholeness.  I offer that Jesus was affirming that through the power of faith we are able to know and to demonstrate physical manifestations of wholeness.

From a consciousness of separation we, “see as through a glass darkly,” and we demonstrate accordingly.  But when “perfection comes;” when the consciousness of wholeness is realized, then “we will see face to face.”  As Paul said, “for now we know only part, but then we shall know as we are known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12) We shall know ourselves as the consciousness of wholeness and we will demonstrate that wholeness in mind, body and spirit.

We claim our power of faith; we exercise our power of faith, and we trust that through faith we remember and are made “whole”.