During the past week or so, the world has been privileged to see the first official images from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). If you're reading this post, then you have access to the internet. If so, then I hope that you've taken the opportunity to look at these amazing pictures. There is so much information about JWST easily available on line that I don't need to suggest any links.
The JWST was launched on Christmas Day, seven months ago, and, right on schedule, began sending back photos in June. One scientist observed "These pictures are so beautiful they make you want to cry." I have been using them now and then as part of my lectio divina (holy reading). If you haven't been delving into the treasure trove of these awesome images on the internet (other than the couple that made the front pages a few days ago), I strongly encourage you to begin to do so. Of course, the bigger the screen you use, the more beautiful the images will appear. Below are a few of these photos each accompanied by a scriptural quotation:
"He numbers the stars and gives to all of them their names." (Psalm 147:4)
"Let the heavens praise thy wonders, O Lord!" (Ps 89:5 RSV)
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
I came across the following just this morning. I think it offers a good moral for the story of JWST, something for each of us to reflect upon:
"People who are into [control] can't deal with a world that is too wide or too open. They need a universe that is narrow and closed up, small enough for them to manage easily. Anything foreign is a threat."( A. Holtz, Street Wisdom, 2003, p. 73)
It's fun to imagine what our country and our world would look like if everyone spent an hour a day staring at one or another of the JWST images. Folks might suddenly realize how terribly small and constricted their personal worlds are, with their walls of prejudice and man-made boundaries of hatred. What if all of us became conscious of God's view of the world as reflected in these awesome pictures?
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