Spiritual Warriors on the

Front Lines of Pandemic

Across the world, communities of faith confronted the challenges of a worldwide pandemic. They offered weekly services online, held coaching and counseling sessions via Zoom, found new ways to connect when physical meetings proved too risky.

In the July issue of Guide to Spiritual Living: Science of Mind magazine, writer Joanne E. McFadden offers readers a view of Science of Mind practitioners and adherents who worked on the front lines during this unprecedented time. McFadden relays the experiences of Donna Davis, Norma Anderson, Joanne Hein, Veronica Silva and Kathryn Richer – each of whom worked in the virus epicenters of the United States, each of whom relied on their faith to deal with the tremendous stress and uncertainty of this time.

While their responsibilities differed, “all agree that preparedness comes largely in the form of a spiritual practice,” McFadden writes. “Spiritual practice continues through the day for these women as they handle constantly changing procedures, stressed-out coworkers and family members, extremely ill and isolated patients, and, yes, death.”

She adds, “Choosing to see the gifts in any different or challenging situation offers a way to navigate it with grace.”

Creating Communities of Inclusion

Over the past four weeks, issues of inclusion, equality and equity stood front and center worldwide. As the connected world watched in horror the killing of George Floyd, the responses were immediate, widespread, unrelenting in the demand for justice and the recognition that Black lives matter.

Countless communities of faith, including CSL, and their partners redoubled their efforts to transform our culture and address systemic racism. In a written statement, CSL addressed the issue of racism, saying, “We call upon ourselves and the faith communities in the U.S. to take action that shows we have heard the cry of suffering, and we own our responsibility for it. Whether that action is prayer, donations to organizations that promote racial justice, rigorous self-education or active engagement, let not this moment in history pass unattended. May the actions we take be steeped in peace and respect for the sacredness of each life, knowing that whatever we do, individually and collectively, must be Divinely directed from a higher consciousness. When we apply our proven spiritual principles through rigorous practices and compassionate action, the desired results cannot fail to demonstrate.”

Initiatives of Change, an organization dedicated to bringing together people of diverse cultures, nations, beliefs and backgrounds who share a common commitment to transforming society, beginning with their own lives, offered a four-point process for people who wish to build trust in their own communities, recognizing that personal change must precede structural change:

1. Start with yourself.
2. Engage everyone in honest conversation.
3. Acknowledge and heal the wounds of the past.
4. Build a diverse team.

Affirm Peace with Justice

By Ernest Holmes

You and I should form the habit of taking definite time each day to contemplate and affirm peace with justice — for there is no peace possible without justice.

But faith without works is dead. We should not only pray, we should act, each contributing the best [they have] to the common purpose, each willing to make any sacrifice necessary… for there can be no individual self-preservation without the preservation of all.

Excerpted from The Essential Ernest Holmes.