“Truth is God’s remedy for error of every kind, and Truth destroys only what is untrue,” Mary Baker Eddy states in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures (pp. 142–143). I witnessed a wonderful healing that illustrates this statement.
My son, Michael, went on a study-abroad trip to India a few years ago. He was there for one month and did many amazing things, including climbing in the Himalaya Mountains, visiting the Taj Mahal, touring the capital in Delhi, and more. But a couple of days after he arrived back home, he called me and said he wasn’t feeling well and that he wasn’t able to get out of bed. He said his chest hurt when breathing, and he wanted his dad and me to come over right away. My husband got out of work early, and we headed out.
On the 15-minute drive over, we both were praying, affirming what was true about Michael’s identity as God’s loved child. I knew it was important for me to prepare my thought and affirm that my sole purpose was to bear witness to the truth of Michael’s spiritual being. No matter what the material senses would suggest to me as reality, I would be obedient to what Science and Health teaches; it says, “We must look deep into realism instead of accepting only the outward sense of things” (p. 129).
I pondered for a moment what the word realism meant. The reality, I reasoned, is that man is made in the image and likeness of God, Spirit, of perfection. Man was never created by matter or sustained by it; therefore, he could not be susceptible to disease, to fear, or to a mind separate from God. There is only God, and all that He made. Only one kingdom, all-harmonious. I also prayed to know that there was no contagion—that wherever my son went in India or anywhere else, divine Love was there protecting him, guiding his every move, blessing him every step of his journey. He could never be separated from God’s continuous love and care.
After we arrived, we went in and found Michael in bed. He looked very pale and weak, and he said it felt as if his body was shutting down. I knew I had a choice here, especially as a mom. Was I going to believe the picture of a sick mortal? Was I going to accept this false testimony as reality? Is this what God made? No! I knew this situation could be dealt with thoroughly and efficiently through praying with the truths taught in Christian Science.
What came to me at that moment was a passage from Science and Health: “Discussing his campaign, General Grant said: ‘I propose to fight it out on this line, if it takes all summer.’ Science says: All is Mind and Mind’s idea. You must fight it out on this line” (p. 492). I thought, “I too will fight it out right now, and there will be healing!” This belief of illness was going to yield to divine Truth.
I sat by my son’s side and read that week’s Bible Lesson on the subject “Life” from the Christian Science Quarterly. I knew that Truth was at work, correcting the lying testimony of the physical senses. My husband felt his right place that night was at the Wednesday testimony meeting at our local branch Church of Christ, Scientist, so he left me alone with Michael. That time alone was so heavenly. It was peaceful, calm, hopeful, and full of love and gratitude for God and the better understanding I was gaining of God’s constant care for not only my son, but all mankind.
Soon Michael wanted to get up and walk around a bit. By the time his dad came back from church, he was making steady progress and had eaten a little. Later that night he felt so much better that he suggested we go home and rest. I felt at peace about this. By the next day he was back at college, going about all his normal activities. Christ, Truth, destroyed the aggressive suggestion of illness and revealed my son’s freedom.
I’d like to close with these words of Mrs. Eddy’s in the Manual of The Mother Church: “Healing the sick and the sinner with Truth demonstrates what we affirm of Christian Science, and nothing can substitute this demonstration. I recommend that each member of this Church shall strive to demonstrate by his or her practice, that Christian Science heals the sick quickly and wholly, thus proving this Science to be all that we claim for it” (p. 92).
Deborah Wright
Alma, Michigan, US
