A Higher Vision?

Doug writes:
The Hubble space telescope has orbited the earth for thirty years now, having sent us images of the vastness of the universe which continue to amaze. The most recent image was of a galaxy 169,000 light years away, and it was magnificent. Just how far away these areas are – or were? – is difficult to comprehend. Light takes a few seconds to travel the 93,000,000 miles from the sun to our planet, so the galaxies shown by Hubble are…quite a long distance away.

Scientists report that they have found out so much about the universe 🌌 through the information from Hubble, that they can understand more of how suns and planets come into being. Fascinating stuff. The information goes back to a time long before what we understand ourselves to be experiencing now. It gives an impression of infinity, since there remains no indication of an end to the expanses of outer space.

I am reminded of a poem by the Birmingham writer Graeme Edge who suggested that “Vast vision must improve our sight – and perhaps at last we’ll see an end to our home’s endless blight”. It is a very optimistic idea, and we do need to find a new way forward with the problems which our planet faces and which the human race shares; the danger of contagion, the pollution of earth, sea and air, the horrors of war, terrorism and poverty. Seeing our planet from the angle of the moon was a stunning experience; understanding that we are so small yet bound together in the cosmos is important for faith and for all humanity. It is both a scientific and spiritual understanding – which some (including me) might think is rare!

Psalm 8 reflects on the wonders of the world and the universe, suggesting how very small we are in this huge universe and yet God cares for us. We may not understand all the facts about outer space and the intricacies of space-time, but we can feel that we are loved infinitely and we can know the responsibility we have to God and to one another on this Pale Blue Dot.

  O Lord our governor, ow glorious is your name in all the world!

  When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,

  the moon and the stars that you have ordained,

  What are human beings, that you should be mindful of us;

  mortals, that you should seek us out?

Heavenly Father, humble us all by a fresh realisation of the immensity of your love. We rejoice in the life you have given us in this world, and ask you to guide us that we may use our knowledge and understanding for the benefit of all people. Grant that the current need for physical distancing may not come to symbolise a lack of concern for our brothers and sisters. Have mercy on us and forgive our failures, that together we may serve your loving purposes for mankind. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Note: Pale Blue Dot is the phrase used by Carl Sagan to describe the earth as represented in a photo taken at his request by the Voyager 1 spacecraft as it left our solar system in 1990, the same year as the Hubble telescope was launched. It showed our planet from 3.7 billion miles away, barely visible, but not even close to one light-year!

There is some very interesting reflection on our Pale Blue Dot on the internet…….