Article December 13, 2010 ISSUE

Bells of joy on race day

BY AMY DEHNERT

LAST WINTER I found a way to contribute, as a Christian Scientist, when I was asked to participate in an event that raises money to combat a disease.

My son was participating in a 5K run for the Honor Society at his high school just before Christmas. It sounded like it would be a lot of fun. I got two other family members to sign up with me to support his fundraising efforts. After I'd committed to the event, I found out the money raised was going to go to medical research for a particular disease. So I decided that in addition to running, my focus would be to actively pray for the eradication of this disease and for the thousands who needed to break free from suffering.

The first thing that came to thought when I began praying was from the Christmas carol, "I Saw Three Ships." One of the verses starts, "And all the bells on earth shall ring, / On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day." I had been planning what to wear and had purchased some jingle bells to attach to my hat and shoes for fun. Most people would be wearing jingle bells, so I decided that when I heard the bells, I would consider them an announcement of Christ's forever coming. The author of the Christian Science textbook, Mary Baker Eddy, defines the Christ as "the divine manifestation of God, which comes to the flesh to destroy incarnte error" (Science and Health, p. 583). The Christ would certainly be present and its healing influence felt.