Almost fifty-seven years ago the world was stunned as Neil Armstrong left a small module and stepped onto the moon. Now we are still amazed at a crew that circled the moon and returned to earth. A later Apollo mission, however, took a photo of our earth, as did the recent Artemis mission, spinning in the universe, reminding us that we are one planet with all its facets, inextricably linked.
Looking at these two photos reminds us that parts of this Earth, our home, cannot be cut off from other parts. The waters swirl around all the continents without fences or walls. Splotches of brown desert and dark green give us images of areas familiar from our schoolbook days.
But we have betrayed and continue to break the promise of both photos by ignoring how we have damaged our earth. The damage caused is not limited to the natural world we inhabit but to the people who live in it. These photos should make us into realizing that damage to any part of the blue marble also becomes damage to each of us.
Prayer for the Day
You have planted us among the other bodies in your creation, O God,
Spinning among other of the bodies you called into being;
But, we, O Lord, have not cared for the whole of this Earth,
Which you have given us out of your beneficence.
Awaken us, O Holy One, to the realization that we are all bound,
Bound together on this wondrous globe where we live.
In the name of the One who is bound with us,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
Every being in the universe is an expression of God. All life springs into existence, unconscious, perfect, free, taking on shapes, letting circumstances bring it to completion.
Lao Tzu, ancient Chinese philosopher (c. 571 BCE)
The Word is living, being, spirit, all verdant greening, all creativity. This Word manifests itself in every creature.
Hildegard of Bingen, medieval poet, theologian (1098-1179)
The heavens are telling the glory of God;
And the firmament proclaims Good’s handiwork.
Day to day pours speech, and night to night declares knowledge.
Psalm 19: 1-2