Articles

I wonder what Jesus’ disciples would have said if asked why they followed him?

Though more than a decade has passed since the hit movie The Matrix was released, its bold exploration of timeless, spiritual themes keeps it alive with fresh relevance—and still a topic of conversation.   In the film the lead character, Neo, visits a prophet in a futuristic world.

The pervasiveness of violence, the ongoing disputes in many parts of the world, widespread poverty, and poor health all scream that evil is present and that it’s here to stay. Good can seem to be powerless and, at best, ephemeral.

For several years after I joined The Mother Church (at age 12), I kept the Clerk’s acceptance letter under the glass top on my dresser, where I’d see it every day. I did this partly because I really did feel happy about becoming a member while I was still in Sunday School, but also because my parents and Sunday School teacher had encouraged me to take this step, and I knew they were proud of me.

Why am I a member? In one word, gratitude. In three, Mary Baker Eddy.

Last year I took a history tour of the Boston area with a friend of mine, a Presbyterian minister and scholar of American history. He gives these tours every other year.

At first, when I was asked, it seemed it would be easy to define what membership in The Mother Church means to me. But it took a couple of weeks to put words to it.

A Rule for Motives and Acts. Neither animosity nor mere personal attachment should impel the motives or acts of the members of The Mother Church.

After an interval of not quite a decade, I certainly am enjoying the opportunity to serve again on the Christian Science Board of Lectureship. Besides traveling to speak with groups of people whose love for God shines so brightly, this appointment brings with it jubilant interaction with the membership of sponsoring branch churches.

It seems all too often we are told that we have limited options—limited income, limited choices, or limited possibilities for our lives. It can seem, too, that the older we get, the greater the limitations we face.