A comforting figure of rural life in the past, as well as the present, is the shepherd. In the Bible, the shepherd has often represented God's love for His creation. And Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of this magazine, also alluded to the Shepherd as an example of God's tender care. She once explained that "this Shepherd of Love leaves the beaten path, searches the wood and marsh, pushes aside the brambles, and seeks until the lost is found; then He places it within His bosom and returns to heal and restore" (Irving C. Tomlinson, Twelve Years with Mary Baker Eddy, Amplified Edition, p. 103).

So in the fight against the foot-and-mouthepidemic and mad-cow disease, is there any solace that can calm the fear of uncontrollable contagion, and stop the devastation and the slaughter of thousands of animals? Is there a Shepherd like the one of Biblical stories? Like the one David referred to with so much trust, when he prayed "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want; ... I will fear no evil: for thou art with me"? (Ps. 23:1, 4). The answer clearly is "Yes." It is God, who is as powerful today as He has ever been.

Lifting thought to God in prayer and trusting His shepherding of creation is not merely asking for divine intervention. It is understanding God's creation. And although we can't see God, we can feel His presence.

Once, during a visit to New Zealand, I sat on a grassy slope on a roadside and watched a vast green valley dotted with sheep grazing. The only sounds were the gentle breeze and an occasional distant bleat. The total peace of that scene was a clear, unforgettable statement of perfect harmony, purity, and innocence. The feeling was overwhelming. It made me think of the infinity and peace of God's presence.

God Himself fills all space, and He is Life. In this infinite presence there is no other kind of life. There is only the life He creates. And that life is spiritual. There is no real enemy that can contaminate divine Life, or devalue God's very existence. Recognizing this is a powerful weapon, though a peaceful one. To quiet the terror that there might be some harmful form of life outside of God's control, it is important to keep very still and to acknowledge God's presence. This is a way of praying that denies reality to evil, and silences the mistaken concept that it has power.

"The exterminator of error," Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mrs. Eddy explains, "is the great truth that God, good, is the only Mind, and that the supposititious opposite of infinite Mind—called devil or evil—is not Mind, is not Truth, but error, without intelligence or reality" (p. 469). The "exterminator" of the supposition that there is life apart from God is not a lethal weapon or poison. It is simply the quiet awareness of a "great truth," an awareness that evil is "without intelligence or reality."

In everyday life, this awareness helps us understand every aspect of God's infinity. It helps us understand what is real—and what is not. Actually, reality is Truth, the very existence of God, where nothing is threatening and where there is no danger. This true condition of existence is the one Mrs. Eddy referred to when she wrote that "Truth handles the most malignant contagion with perfect assurance" (ibid., p. 176).

Silent acknowledgment that God is the only solid and inevitable presence also helps to avoid panic regarding the economy in areas of the world affected by the foot-and-mouth and the mad-cow crises. It can bring calm to local authorities and promote right action.

Yes, the Lord is the Shepherd of the 21st century, as in ancient times. This figure symbolizes the same God, still maintaining the peace of His creation. The Shepherd keeps the flock safe today, and the world can trust Him. God's creation is spiritual, forever intact.

Heloisa Rivas
Associate Editor