I knew that fear (not some virus) was the prime cause of illness

Mary Baker Eddy tells us, “Trials are proofs of God’s care (Science and Health, p. 66:9–10). I don’t remember when these words of Mrs. Eddy first came to my attention – probably in high school – but I remember wondering at the time, “Does God send us trials?” I have since learned that God doesn’t send trials, but that trials are part of our experience as opportunities for growth and, most importantly, useful in teaching us valuable lessons. The healings we read in the “Fruitage” section of Science and Health provide valuable lessons about how trials have helped others in their growth and demonstration of Christian Science.

Over the past two years, national and individual trials have given us all abundant opportunities for growth. When the public media made it clear that what is now labeled the “pandemic” was a serious problem, I turned to my Christian Science class instruction as a primary source of inspiration and comfort. It occurred to me that, from a human-age perspective, I was a candidate for trouble and might have a problem. Yet in my exchanges with Skip over the years, he never took what I would describe as a “problem” very seriously, certainly not from a human standpoint. His conviction, often repeated, that “Christian Science is what is coming, not going,” provided me with a foundation to understand that there was nothing that could not be dealt with through Christian Science prayer and treatment. That thought was liberating.

Among the trials thrown at us were the various human rules and laws that told us what we must and must not do. The restrictions imposed on our daily lives and, more importantly, on our practice of Christian Science, had to be dealt with. I found a balance between the requirement to be law-abiding and the need to be courageous, particularly in the face of human-generated fear. I knew that fear (not some virus) was the prime cause of illness, and certainly I could be free and protected enough to not let fear dictate my every move. A friend who is a Christian Science practitioner reminded me that Daniel and the three Hebrew boys, while giving respect to authority, felt free enough to defy the laws imposed on them. In doing so, they overcame a den of lions and a fiery furnace. (I was sure that standing firm in my fidelity to Christian Science would not require me to endure either of those two experiences.) During the last two years, I steadfastly endeavored to confront the fear that society was continually throwing my way. As a result, I was only mildly inconvenienced and was not adversely affected.

One of the great joys in life is being a grandparent, and my wife and I are blessed with a grandson, Benny, now six years old. Prior to the pandemic, he attended our branch church’s Sunday School and was an active and eager participant. When the pandemic hit and churches shut down, children of his age were not good candidates for Sunday School behind a computer screen. One Wednesday evening while listening to the testimony meeting online, we heard an announcement that another local branch had opened its doors to live services. We contacted the clerk of that church, asking if they also had a live Sunday School. The clerk responded, “Yes, of course.” So off we went with Benny, and as a result, we have all been blessed. This opportunity has made us especially grateful for Mrs. Eddy’s provision that Christian Science branch churches be “distinctly democratic” (Manual, p. 74:5).

One of the other joys of grandparenting is the opportunity to pick up our grandson from his school where he attends first grade. One afternoon I waited for Benny in the lobby, but when he appeared he did not have his normal big smile on his face. Instead, he told me that his throat was scratchy. Behind him was a school helper who reiterated the complaint and sternly advised us to monitor Benny’s condition and keep him out of school if he had Covid.

On the ten-minute ride home, I asked Benny where God was. Demonstrating that his Sunday School experience was a real benefit, he immediately responded, “In the car.” Upon arriving home, Benny lay down on the couch and fell asleep (not his normal, active self). I sat nearby and immediately began a Christian Science treatment. I affirmed his God-derived qualities of vibrancy and health and his true immunization from any adverse effects, including the fear that seemed to surround us.

I recalled a provision in Science and Health that reminds us to handle fear. Here is the entire passage, with the portion that came to my thought in bold:

“Because a belief originates unseen, the mental state should be continually watched that it may not produce blindly its bad effects. The author never knew a patient who did not recover when the belief of the disease had gone. Remove the leading error or governing fear of this lower so-called mind, and you remove the cause of all disease as well as the morbid or excited action of any organ. You also remove in this way what are termed organic diseases as readily as functional difficulties” (Science and Health, p. 377:16).

After about an hour and a half, Benny woke up and asked for something to eat, which seemed more normal. Shortly afterwards, our daughter arrived from work and brought him home, where he ate some more. That evening, I continued to affirm Benny’s perfection and his protection from anything that could induce illness. The next morning, as reported by his mother, Benny was up and energetic and went off to school as he normally does. We are deeply grateful for this demonstration of God’s Love and the efficacy of Christian Science in our daily lives.