Primeval Religious Wonder

by Ed Hays on Oct. 02, 2009

Primeval Religious Wonder

Because the distance between us and our closest star, Proxima Centauri, is so vast, we measure it not in miles but in the speed of light. Proxima Centauri is only 4.2 light years away! A light year is the distance light travels in one year: 5,787 trillion miles!

The vastness of the nighttime vista is heightened when we realize that traveling at the speed of light to the center of our galaxy, the Milky Way, would require a journey of thirty thousand light years. And if Argus456@Dreamstime.comArgus456@Dreamstime.come the prayer of the twenty-first century. What fire, thunder, and the mystery of birth once invoked in the primitive person, the magnitude of space awakens in us.

Star-gazing prayer staggers the mind,
infinite is the space between us.
O Stars, contemplating you humbles me
and shrinks me down to my proper size.

From A Book of Wonders by Ed Hays

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Prayer action suggestion:
View this slide show that puts our place in the universe in perspective.

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Dear Rev. Fr. Hays, thank you

Submitted by frère charles du désert OSB OBLAT (Congrégation de Subiaco) (not verified) on Oct. 02, 2009.

Dear Rev. Fr. Hays, thank you for these thoughts upon the wonders of creation. Way out here in the desert I was often overwhelmed by teh immensity of our night sky, clear, with little light around, until a new school was built nearby which leaves its parking lights on all night, with random shut offs, revealing once more the great night sky and the infinity of stars.

I can only wait eagerly for the whole national power grid to go down, to contemplate this richness once more . . .

I hadn't thought about early

Submitted by earthenvessel again (not verified) on Oct. 03, 2009.

I hadn't thought about early man's awe inspiring things like fire as being the same as way out in the galaxy for us but it is true. And there is no end to the galaxies as far as we can tell so there is so much more room for man to advance in knowledge and hopefully wisdom, as the eons go by.

Wonderful, Fr.Ed! Gazing

Submitted by Bob Russo (not verified) on Oct. 03, 2009.

Wonderful, Fr.Ed! Gazing into space amidst the stars certainly puts life in perspective. Our so-called problems loose their punch!

Thank you,

Bob

Thank you for this beautiful

Submitted by pat m. (not verified) on Oct. 08, 2009.

Thank you for this beautiful reflection! To think how incredibly tiny we are, and yet how loved by God...what a wonder!

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