Article December 12, 2011 Issue

A mother's prayers for her child

By Jill Hood

As a parent, the following passage from Science and Health by Mary Baker Eddy has really helped transform my thinking and guide my prayers: “Become conscious for a single moment that Life and intelligence are purely spiritual,—neither in nor of matter,—and the body will then utter no complaints. If suffering from a belief in sickness, you will find yourself suddenly well. Sorrow is turned into joy when the body is controlled by spiritual Life, Truth, and Love” (p. 14). 

Sometimes that “single moment” is swift to come—and sometimes it appears to come in gradual steps—but however it happens, when we recognize the moment of truth, it fills our consciousness and brings the permanent healing we need.

Over the years, as I’ve prayed for my son, one issue that I gave specific attention to was that he didn’t have to experience fluctuation with his body temperature in the form of fevers, etc. I prayed with several passages from Science and Health. I acknowledged the idea that “Mind regulates. . . . the temperature of children and of men, and matter does not” (p. 413). And a sentence on the same page told me the importance of carefully watching my thinking in this regard: “The wise or unwise views of parents and other persons on these subjects produce good or bad effects on the health of children.” 