Article December 22, 1997 Issue

Prayer knows no barriers

Marta Greenwood

We had all gathered in my friend's house to pay our respects and condolences to her, in the custom of our country. She had just lost her mother. Most of us were political or religious exiles in England.

I was the only Christian there, and the only one who had learned to read English since leaving our country. The rest were Muslim. During the evening as their holy book, the Koran, was recited, a deep and respectful hush spread over the room. The recital was in Arabic, which none of us spoke. And yet, watching my friends, I noticed how deeply attentive they were. In spite of not understanding the language, they were still getting comfort from the readings.

I longed to share my prayers with them, too. I had been studying Christian Science for some years, and our family and friends had had so many healings through it. Our lives had been transformed as a result of reading in English the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health by Mary Baker Eddy. I had been longing for a translation of this book in my native language, in the hope that my fellow countrymen could benefit from it, too. But at this moment, seeing how attentive they were as they listened to their holy book recited in a foreign language, it suddenly struck me that it is Truth, not words, that communicates itself to the receptive heart, and that Truth can have no boundaries, barriers, or limitations. It was the universal and impersonal Christ that was speaking to each one of us. This realization made me see that I didn't have to say anything. I could go ahead and pray silently in the only way I knew how, and these prayers would be communicated to them in a form they could understand. So I did just that.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Poem

Letting Love shine out!