The weekly Lesson-Sermon found in the Christian Science Quarterly and read aloud in The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and its worldwide branches each Sunday is vitally important. It is “a lesson on which the prosperity of Christian Science largely depends,” writes Mary Baker Eddy in the Church Manual (p. 31). In case I’m asked to serve as a substitute Reader for my branch Church of Christ, Scientist, I always keep my copies of the Bible and Mrs. Eddy’s book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures marked with the current Lesson. 

One Thursday, our First Reader asked me to read for her on Sunday, and I was happy to do so. However, on Saturday night I had a fever and was awake most of the night praying. I was very concerned because at that time there was no one else who could sub for the First Reader. On Sunday morning, not feeling strong enough to stand through the service or even drive to church, I texted a Christian Science practitioner to pray for me. He encouraged me to say to every suggestion of illness, “That’s not me!” 

This was a reminder to identify myself properly—to recognize that I am the spiritual and perfect image and likeness of God, Spirit. As I did this, the spiritual facts that I can never be separated from God and that matter cannot be the likeness or expression of divine Spirit came strongly to thought. I knew that nothing unlike God could be a part of the true me or cause me to believe I could be sick. The practitioner also pointed out some helpful ideas I could pray with from Science and Health.