Star of Wonder

I am chagrined to admit, as much of a geek as I am about space, I was unprepared for the solar eclipse that happened on Monday.  I had heard about it, but I didn’t get any special glasses or make plans to be in the path of totality (100% coverage of the sun).  However, I did watch some of the events online that had people reporting from places within the path, and it was more exciting than I expected. 

I was on a site called Slooh, and like most on-going news events, the commentary can get a bit stale and repetitive after half an hour. I was actually taken aback when the host asked one of the scientists what his “spiritual” sense of this event was. He didn’t have a great answer – something about the cosmic awesomeness about it.  But the host asked the same question of another guest, who happened to be Dr. Kate Russo, a psychologist, who has written a book about people who have experienced the totality of a solar eclipse and how the experience changed their lives, and she did have an interesting response.  

Dr. Russo talked about how when you are in the path of a total eclipse, your mind and body are aware that something is different and out of the ordinary.  Humans are hardwired to react to such events with our “flight or fight” response, which is motivated by fear of the “unknown”.  Even though in this day and age we can completely explain the scientific reasons why an eclipse happens, there is still a visceral sense of awe that is primeval. 

Such an event can cause us to reflect on our own insignificance in the world, on just how small a part we are in the great scheme of our solar system or universe.  When faced with the grandeur of how our own sun and moon interact with around us – and of which we have no control – there is an opportunity for self-reflection that not many of us find in our daily lives. 

I love that in our own Eucharist Prayer C, this sentiment is acknowledged in the lines, “At your command all things came to be: the vast expanse of interstellar space, galaxies, suns, the planets in their courses, and this fragile earth, our island home. By your will they were created and have their being.” (BCP p. 370) The spirituality of our place in the universe is part of our worship, so we don’t have to find the sacred in what seemed like a secular event.  We are already aware of its awesome wonder bearing God’s fingerprints.

Dr. Russo is an “eclipse chaser,” which means that her hobby is finding when and where the next solar eclipse will be and go there to experience it.  She even takes tour groups with her to share the experience together – almost like a pilgrimage.  And such eclipses happen more often than I thought – about every 18 months, so she has experienced about 11 eclipses since she started her journey because of the awesome experience she has and wants to share with others.

Shouldn’t we be the same about our encounters with God?  Consider where you find the awe and wonder of God in your life.  How does it make you feel?  How can your share that experience with others?  Those are the experiences we need to be sharing with each other, not just waiting 18 months for the next solar phenomenon.

Of all the pictures of the eclipse that I have seen, this one is my favorite.  I hope you enjoy it as well.

In Christ,

Rev. Valerie+

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