Praying for the World January 26, 2026 Issue

Prayer that holds crime in check

Every time we overcome evil in our individual experience, however modestly, we are demonstrating God’s allness and supreme power.

Martin Vesely

Immediately following a recent tragic terrorist attack in the United States, a public official in that city held a news conference. What struck me was the first thing he said: “Make no mistake: Evil is real.”

Having had a long career in law enforcement, I could certainly understand that sentiment. When we witness or hear of heinous acts, we may feel an overwhelming sense that evil is indeed real; we wonder if there’s anything we can do, individually or collectively, to stop such events from happening again and to contribute to a safer, more peaceful society.

Whenever I’ve wondered that myself, I have always been encouraged by what Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer of Christian Science, wrote on this subject: “. . . those who discern Christian Science will hold crime in check. They will aid in the ejection of error. They will maintain law and order, and cheerfully await the certainty of ultimate perfection” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, pp. 96–97). The word will leaves no doubt that it is possible to control, even prevent, crime and violence, and Christian Science teaches that doing so begins in our own thought—through our gaining a better understanding of the allness of God and the powerlessness of evil.

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Prayer that holds crime in check

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