Thursday, May 23, 2024
anne williamson
Copernicus and Kepler
The commemoration of Nicolaus Copernicus and Johannes Kepler, Astronomers (May 24)
Matthew 2:1-11a (epiphany – a manifestation or appearance)
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.'"
Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage." When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage.
There has been a lot of focus on celestial manifestations in the last month – the total eclipse in April and the amazing Aurora Borealis displays earlier this month – to the delight of astronomers and amateur star gazers alike.
Portsmouth Memorial Bridge - May 10, 2024
It seems timely that today we commemorate two astronomers, Nicolaus Copernicus and Johannes Kepler. Their work on the ‘heliocentric’ nature of the universe (our solar system being sun-centered rather than earth-centered) and planetary motion laid the groundwork for modern astronomy. Their theories also caused consternation with Church authorities, both Roman Catholic and Protestant (although not in the lifetime of Copernicus). Neither Copernicus nor Kepler considered their work to be in contradiction to scripture, rather they believed that ‘science can lead us more deeply into an understanding of the workings of the Creator’. Read more about them in Holy Women, Holy Men.
I love the choice of the gospel reading from Matthew, which tells the story of what we call the Epiphany, to commemorate these two amazing astronomers. After the birth of Jesus, a celestial sign guided travelers (astronomers?) from the East to Bethlehem. Shepherds had seen the same sign earlier and hurried to Bethlehem to worship Jesus but this was the first encounter of Gentile worshippers with this special child. Their worship of Jesus opened the opportunity for worship to all, not just a chosen few. With the Epiphany, the expectation of a nation becomes the hope of the world; the Jewish Messiah would be more than a national hero, he would be the savior of the world.
This gospel is paired with a reading from the first chapter of Genesis – Genesis 1:14-19 Genesis 1 is the first of the two creation stories in our Bible and here we have the creation of the heavens:
“Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars.”
The wonder of the sun, the moon and the stars filled Copernicus and Kepler with a sure sense of the hand of the Creator at work. I still feel that wonder when I look out at the night sky – one of the joys of living in New Hampshire is that you can see stars! That was hard to do in London with so much ambient light at night.
As many of you know, reading the daily reflections of the Rev. Steve Garnaas-Holmes is one of my regular spiritual practices. As we give thanks for the work of Copernicus and Kepler, I invite you to go outside or look out your window tonight (hopefully the sky will be clear!) and use this reflection on the eclipse to wonder how the stars and the celestial manifestations we have recently experienced mirror our inner life.
Who knew it would be so like
looking into the human soul,
the wonder and mystery,
the light and dark so mingled,
each made glorious by the other,
the awe at how one can overcome
and the other relent
for a while—
and how unlike,
this celestial dance
laid out since the beginning,
while your next shining or obscuring
is now and always,
unknown until you make it,
a choice.
Steve Garnass-Holmes - Unfoldinglight.net
Blessings on your day. Anne
As the heavens declare your glory, O God, and the firmament shows your handiwork, we bless your Name for the gifts of knowledge and insight you bestowed upon Nicolaus Copernicus and Johannes Kepler; and we pray that you would continue to advance our understanding of your cosmos, for our good and for your glory; through Jesus Christ, the firstborn of all creation, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.