Articles

Christians around the globe pay homage at this season to the arrival of the babe that in time became known as Christ Jesus. The circumstances surrounding his birth—his virgin mother, his coming in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, the attending shepherds and wise men to whose hearts the occasion spoke in a revolutionary way of God’s great love toward humanity—were all utterly unique to Jesus’ life and mission.

“Write a poem about a social injustice. ” That was it? That was the assignment? Yes, that was it.

What follows is an edited summary of the Hymn Sing held on Sunday, June 5, 2016, in the Extension of The Mother Church and broadcast live online. The Hymn Sing was one of the events held during the weekend prior to Annual Meeting.

In the United States, Thanksgiving is a very special day—a day set aside for giving thanks—which also happens in several other countries, at different times. The Bible is filled with the joy and blessings that come from sincerely praising, glorifying, and giving thanks to God, and the necessity and naturalness of doing so.

Today there is more news to consume and less time in which to consume it than perhaps ever before in human history. It may feel overwhelming to take time each day to discern what needs healing and devote prayerful attention to those issues.

How can we utilize the amazing fact of our God-given dominion, which the Bible says God has given us (see Genesis 1:26 )? It may seem an impossible thing to demonstrate in our lives. Many things confront us that are not good and that appear to have control over us—ill health, perhaps; disagreements with family or friends that leave us angry or upset; loss of employment.

My daily prayer has shifted in a major way. I’d always begun my prayers by thinking about and being grateful for the allness and glory of God as the creator.

When I went through Christian Science Primary class instruction—a two-week course on Christian Science—I came away more aware of the importance of the two “great commandments” that Christ Jesus spoke about: love God and love man (your neighbor as yourself; see Matthew 22:35–39 ).   I could see how obedience to this divine law is necessary, but I couldn’t get past the “how” of loving my neighbor, my fellow man.

The natural world often displays great beauty. Whether it’s a vibrant-colored sunset, the grace of a soaring raptor, the grandeur and might of a waterfall, or the delicate beauty of a wildflower, chances are we’ve all been inspired by such scenery at one time or another.

At a time of great need in our family several years ago, I happened to pick up at the local Christian Science Reading Room a little pamphlet with the meaningful title “ Triumph of Good . ” The pamphlet reprinted a number of articles and testimonies of healing from this denomination’s publications, including two testimonies originally published in this magazine in 1955.