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SOMETHING TO THINK AND PRAY ABOUT THIS WEEK
The Wonder of Our Universe
The ‘wise men’ are also known as magi, from the Greek word magos, which can be translated as astronomer, sorcerer or visionary. The term magi referred to a group of Persian or Babylonian priests who studied the stars and planets to discern the meaning behind cosmic events. In recent years, many theories have been posited to account for the phenomenon of the star the magi followed to Bethlehem, from Halley’s Comet (which was visible around 12 BC), to a new star, to an alignment between Jupiter and Saturn. Scientists are learning more about the universe all the time, about stars and planets and galaxies. If we were to hold up the smallest coin to a section of the night sky, the area it covers could contain the light from millions upon millions of stars, many of them no longer in existence. In 2003–4, the Hubble Telescope, which is in orbit around the Earth, took a picture of such a piece of sky. The Hubble Ultra-Deep Field is an image of a small region of space in the constellation Fornax, containing an estimated 10,000 galaxies, each one containing 100,000 million stars like our sun. The vastness of our universe can be just too much for us to take in.
We believe in a God who brought everything into being, from the moment of creation when our universe began. For the magi, the wondrous light in the sky led them to the light of the world, the hope of humankind. That is something to celebrate.
Tríona Doherty and Jane Mellett, The Deep End: A Journey with the Sunday Gospels in the Year of Mark
We remember at this time...
This World Humanitarian Day let us honour and remember all those who give their time, and sometimes their lives, to help the vulnerable in our societies. Let us pray that more hearts may be moved to answer this worthy and life-giving mission. May their service remind us of our shared humanity and our responsibility to one another. Amen!
Sacred Space – Daily Prayer for 25 Years
Sacred Space began in 1999 and has offered new content every day since then. You can learn more about Sacred Space on our About page, or if you are a regular, you can share your Sacred Space Story on our Feedback page. For our 25th anniversary, we are featuring stories from people for whom Sacred Space has played a special part in their lives. Please consider sharing your Sacred Space Story.
Sacred Space Feedback