Monday, February 11, 2008 at 2:02am
Stardust
Column: Woman at the Well
It's a glorious day. Every molecule within me and around me, for as far as I can see, is celebrating sunshine. The sky blue dances with the trees, whether still bare from winter letting go or budding with new life or evergreen. California fauna — palm and pine tree, deciduous and not — all mixed together, dancing in the sunlight. A glorious day!
I love the exuberant dance of life. Mystery and miracle are everywhere. The more awake I am, the more present to each moment, the more wonder and awe seep into my life. Abundance and blessing are in every breath I breathe.
I am thinking today about the story of time, birthed with the Big Bang, 13.5 billion years ago, the evolution of stars forming from energy into galaxies, living and dying and creating the stardust from which our world and all life were formed. The Universe is so much more magnificent than our religions can even begin to fathom. And the Universe is just another name for God.
We are born of stardust. We are filled with light. And God is in the midst of every atom of being.
There are three ways to look at life, three lenses through which to view the world. The first is fear. We call it paranoia, yet many faith traditions thrive on the fear of God and the fires of hell to maintain their worldview. If you see the world through that lens, everything and everyone is out to get you and cannot be trusted. And it proves true — a self-fulfilling prophesy.
A second lens is random. Life is an accident and has no meaning. The structure and beauty and form of the universe are purely coincidental. We come from nothing and return to nothing. Many of us hold this view, even as we struggle to believe in God, thinking we have to deny reality in order to have faith.
But there is a third lens — the mystic's lens. In every generation and every faith tradition or none, there have been those who have seen our origins in the beginning of time and the bond that links all life as one, as meaningful and loving. For us, all life has purpose and all things work together for good. We see every experience, no matter how challenging or difficult, as an opportunity for growth and self-discovery and love. Our lens shows us wonder and sparkling joys wherever we turn. It, too, is a self-fulfilling prophesy and links us remarkably well with the most profound teachings of modern science.
We see reality as God in action, which means even the death of stars and the transformation of lives, however brief or long, are all a part of the wonder of wholeness and holiness. Our spirits are one with the Spirit of the Universe. Death is just a door. And though we grieve when letting go, which is natural and good, we do not fear that our loved ones have become nothing. They have gone home to the pure love of God and will be renewed, for nothing is ever lost.
This is the wisdom born of the truth of Evolution. Our, faith, too can evolve to understand this mystical truth that science is teaching. We come from the One, the mystery of that Big Bang. And we are always and evermore a part of it. When we are awake, we remember. Today is one of those glorious days when it is easy to remember.
— — —
Rev. Kristi Denham is pastor of the Congregational Church of Belmont, California (United Church of Christ). Her email address is {email RevKristi@aol.com}RevKristi@aol.com{/email}. © Copyright 2008 by Kristi Denham.
I love the exuberant dance of life. Mystery and miracle are everywhere. The more awake I am, the more present to each moment, the more wonder and awe seep into my life. Abundance and blessing are in every breath I breathe.
I am thinking today about the story of time, birthed with the Big Bang, 13.5 billion years ago, the evolution of stars forming from energy into galaxies, living and dying and creating the stardust from which our world and all life were formed. The Universe is so much more magnificent than our religions can even begin to fathom. And the Universe is just another name for God.
We are born of stardust. We are filled with light. And God is in the midst of every atom of being.
There are three ways to look at life, three lenses through which to view the world. The first is fear. We call it paranoia, yet many faith traditions thrive on the fear of God and the fires of hell to maintain their worldview. If you see the world through that lens, everything and everyone is out to get you and cannot be trusted. And it proves true — a self-fulfilling prophesy.
A second lens is random. Life is an accident and has no meaning. The structure and beauty and form of the universe are purely coincidental. We come from nothing and return to nothing. Many of us hold this view, even as we struggle to believe in God, thinking we have to deny reality in order to have faith.
But there is a third lens — the mystic's lens. In every generation and every faith tradition or none, there have been those who have seen our origins in the beginning of time and the bond that links all life as one, as meaningful and loving. For us, all life has purpose and all things work together for good. We see every experience, no matter how challenging or difficult, as an opportunity for growth and self-discovery and love. Our lens shows us wonder and sparkling joys wherever we turn. It, too, is a self-fulfilling prophesy and links us remarkably well with the most profound teachings of modern science.
We see reality as God in action, which means even the death of stars and the transformation of lives, however brief or long, are all a part of the wonder of wholeness and holiness. Our spirits are one with the Spirit of the Universe. Death is just a door. And though we grieve when letting go, which is natural and good, we do not fear that our loved ones have become nothing. They have gone home to the pure love of God and will be renewed, for nothing is ever lost.
This is the wisdom born of the truth of Evolution. Our, faith, too can evolve to understand this mystical truth that science is teaching. We come from the One, the mystery of that Big Bang. And we are always and evermore a part of it. When we are awake, we remember. Today is one of those glorious days when it is easy to remember.
— — —
Rev. Kristi Denham is pastor of the Congregational Church of Belmont, California (United Church of Christ). Her email address is {email RevKristi@aol.com}RevKristi@aol.com{/email}. © Copyright 2008 by Kristi Denham.