Excerpts from the Abridged chapter Prayer from the book, 21st Century Science and Health.

Christ Jesus also apparently gave this suggestion: “When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matt. 6:6) The suggestion offers broad implications besides the obvious need to be honest and humble.

We are able to communicate directly with God without a middleperson. We can turn off, or at least not give our full attention to the loud physical noises around us; including everything from the television to the muscles. We can enter into the heart of a healing prayer and deny sin and affirm wisdom, Truth, and Love. We can trust the unseen God, Father-Mother of all to guide us to responsible healing.

This suggestion doesn’t mean we stay in the closet. Prayer is action. Only as we ascend above all habituated feelings and sin can we reach the heaven-born aspiration. What is commonly referred to as the Lord’s Prayer indicates the spiritual consciousness which instantaneously heals the sick. Some Bible versions include an extra line at the end of the Lord’s Prayer. Bible scholars think that a later copyist may have added it; however, it does not affect the meaning of the prayer itself and has been included here in what can be understood as the spiritual sense of the Lord’s Prayer:

Our Father in heaven,

Our Father-Mother God, all-harmonious,

Hallowed be Your name,

One sacred nature,

Your kingdom come,

Your government is come; You are ever-present,

Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Enable us to know—as in heaven, so on earth—God is omnipotent, supreme.

Give us this day our daily bread.

Give us grace for today; feed the starved intent.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And Love is reflected in love.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

And God does not lead us into temptation, but delivers us from sin, disease, and death.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.[1]

For God is infinite, all-power, all Life, Truth, Love, over all, and All.