Article January 17, 2011 Issue

A life of love

By David Stevens

A friend shared an insight about the word institution in the definition of Church in Science and Health (p. 583). It was a definition I’ve yet to find, but like very much: “the significant living of an established law.” Science and Health speaks of Church as “that institution, which affords proof of its utility and is found elevating the race, rousing the dormant understanding from material beliefs to the apprehension of spiritual ideas and the demonstration of divine Science, thereby casting out devils, or error, and healing the sick.” And I’ve been inspired to substitute that active sense of “institution” when thinking about Church. It reminds me that we are, I am, living Church—or not. 

Think about this: The Church is that “significant living of an established law,” which “affords proof of its utility and is found elevating the race . . . .” Whenever any one of us is living the law of divine Love, Church is in action, and good results, including healing, are inevitable. 

On a recent trip to India, I met a man who is serving as First Reader in his Christian Science church. His love for the activity of Church takes him on a three-hour journey each way to the location of the service, twice a week. In addition to reading, he also arranges chairs, puts up signs, and (oh, yes) plays the hymns on his keyboard. His obvious motivation is love and the expectation that each service is a healing message for those present and for the world. He spoke of his time on public transportation to and from services as an opportunity to “go deeper” into the Christian Science Bible Lesson to be read, and to pray for the service. 