Article January 4, 2016 Issue

Our prayers to embrace the world and prevent violence

Jenny Sawyer

Originally published in The Christian Science Monitor, November 19, 2015.

When tragedies such as the most recent attacks in Beirut, Lebanon, and Paris occur, what can we do? Across the world, there have been calls to pray for these cities and their people. To pray for peace. And certainly our prayers are needed.

In addition to embracing all those affected by terrorism in my prayers, I have been grappling with how to extend my prayers to prevent future devastation.

In a world that seems constantly at the mercy of terrorism and random evil, it might appear naive to think that we can have any kind of preemptive impact. But through my study of Christian Science, I’ve learned that prayer that yearns to feel and understand the allness of God—of divine Love itself—is like turning on a light: Where light is, darkness simply can’t exist. The light of ever-present Love, expressed, leaves no place for the evils of hatred, fear, cruelty, or pain.

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