Earthrise on December 24, 1968

Dear Friends

It was fifty years ago this Christmas Eve that Apollo 8 gave us our first view of an “earthrise”, as we heard the astronauts read from the 1st chapter of Genesis. That epic photograph, with the surface of the moon in the foreground and “this fragile earth our island home” surrounded by the utter emptiness of space, gave us a brand new perspective which, if we let it, can still cause us to pause and wonder today.

Some argue that this photo spurred the modern environmental movement. If nothing else, I am humbled when I stare at it. My personal or the world’s problems can seem huge at times. To survive, we face and work to solve or overcome them, but we must not dwell on them. Then I step back several million miles and my faith is renewed. Planet earth is not just a vicious circle. Why?  Because we have a good God who created it and us, and that good God continues to give us opportunities to work and pray for peace and justice every day. In addition, against the backdrop of this picture, (and eternity for that matter), I find the little things that irritate me disappear and the big ones seem much smaller.

Fellow Episcopalian Frank Borman was Apollo 8’s commander. He had been scheduled as a lector at his parish on Christmas Eve until NASA moved up the launch date. Now that would have to be one of the best excuses of all time to get out of an assignment!  (I can imagine his call to the rector: "I'll be out of town this Christmas".)

Our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and another Apollo 8 astronaut, James Lovell Jr. , were among several speakers at a recent remembrance service at our Washington National Cathedral. Curry said of the moment, “I wonder if God said ‘Now y’all see what I see’ and then explained with a twinkle in his eye that “y’all” is from the King James Version of the bible. He also encouraged us to see this as “a moment of re-consecration and dedication, and to mount on eagles’ wings and fly, to explore new worlds, to mobilize the great knowledge of science and technology, and the wisdom of humans to save this oasis, our island home.” 

Bishop Curry said that some believe this moment “changed human consciousness forever”.  At the least, it should bring us to wonder and ponder and remember that, as they sang at the cathedral, “He’s got the whole world in His Hands.”

Merry Christmas!

John