People often ask about praying for the community and the world, and whether such prayer really does any good. The answer is that we definitely can pray—in our hearts and by our lives—and our prayers do help all mankind. In view of distressing conditions both international and domestic, such prayer is an urgent need.

We pray "in our hearts" through quiet communion with God. One example that includes not only ourselves but all humanity is the "Daily Prayer" given in the Manual of The Mother Church by Mary Baker Eddy. It's a simple prayer, drawing clearly on the Lord's Prayer, and it provides an inspired foundation for our metaphysical work for the world: "'Thy kingdom come;' let the reign of divine Truth, Life, and Love be established in me, and rule out of me all sin; and may Thy Word enrich the affections of all mankind, and govern them!" ^{Man., Art. VIII, Sect. 4.}

To pray effectively we need to understand the God to whom we pray. Whom do we address when we say "Thy kingdom come"? In Christian Science we understand the one God to be infinite Love— all-embracing, ever present, available to all. We know Him as universal Principle because He is unchanging Truth, all-pervading and eternal. He is indestructible Life, perfect Mind, pure Spirit that knows no limits. One universal God, good.

Now, an important point for our purpose here is that everything true of God and His creation is expressed as law— spiritual law bearing witness to the nature of God and His creation. For example, one omnipotent Principle, Love, governing all things, implies universal spiritual law maintaining harmony. Likewise, indestructible Life with no limits of space or time, no diminution of vital energy, implies immutable law sustaining the perpetuity and continuity of all that God creates—thus, a law of preservation.

The point is that God's laws are universal laws of good—spiritual laws equally available everywhere, laws needing only to be known and understood and proved. And they relate to every human need.

These laws are illustrated in the Scriptures. They were taught and demonstrated with marvelous healing power by Christ Jesus, whose mission was to reveal the saving Christ to humanity. They are explained in Christian Science, which shows us both the spirit and the method that are necessary to demonstrate them in healing. Thus the Science of Christ, Truth, enables us to fulfill the Master's command that his true followers should do the kind of spiritual healing work that he did.

This brings us to the thought that we can pray for our community and the world "by our lives." As Christian metaphysicians, we constantly avail ourselves of God's laws in healing. We understand them, rely on them, work to bring our thoughts into accord with them. We prove them not only in physical healings but also in other demonstrations of Love's saving power.

Every such proof is a confirmation of universal Love and of universal spiritual law nullifying the claims of evil and supposed material law. The implications of such proofs extend to universal humanity, just as the simplest solution of an arithmetical equation demonstrates mathematical relationships that apply everywhere, from the counting of apples to the mounting of a space probe.

Every proof of God's power in healing has a leavening effect for all human thinking because it makes plain the presence of Love's sovereign spiritual law. It discloses the availability of Spirit's infinite power to liberate the individual and to resolve collective difficulties. It confirms the means by which the human race can be emancipated from elemental fear, tragedy, and evil, through coming to know God and His saving Truth, Christ. It brings something more of the light of divine Truth into the darkened and fear-filled consciousness of humanity.

Praying effectively on the basis of divine Principle and law for the resolving of personal difficulties, we find we can pray in the same way for the solution of collective problems. We can affirm the omnipotence of God, good, and deny specifically the illusive evils that mortals believe in. We can remember that the wonderful victories in individual healing prove the possibility of broader triumphs over group problems because the same universal law of Principle applies to both.

The import of the Bible message includes not only triumph over individual difficulties but also mastery over collective problems. The basis for this broader application is stated in Genesis 1, where it is set forth that man, made in God's image and after His likeness, has dominion "over all the earth." ^{Gen. 1:26.}

Today the saving Truth illustrated in the teachings and demonstrations of Jesus stands revealed in its demonstrable Science, the Science of Christ. This Science is universal, and its mission is universal. Every individual proof in healing and regeneration of character presages the spiritual awakening that brings to light the new heaven and new earth spoken of in Revelation.

Perhaps we can draw an assurance of the mission of the Christ, Truth, in regard to community and world problems from the Revelator's description of the river of water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God. He writes that on either side of the river stood the tree of life that unfailingly yielded its fruit, "and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." ^{Rev. 22:2.} So, pray for your community and the world!

DeWITT JOHN