Armodoxy for Today: Celestial Trigger

Triggers come in all shapes and sizes. On a gun it’s the devices that releases the mechanism to shoot. Flowers or furry animals may trigger allergies in people. And a good actor interpreting his or her parts may trigger emotions that will soften the hardest of hearts.

Celestial events, such as solar or lunar eclipses often trigger discussions of a religious variety. Because the movements of the players, that is the Moon and Sun, have their own rhythms and patterns, some people ascribe mystical explanations to the entire event. On closer look, the only mystical element of these movements is that they are unusually precise and perfect. Dare we say, they point to a designer, who is often noted as God.

At a solar eclipse a person who noted my interest in the event asked, if the eclipse is mentioned in the Bible? Now, if you’ve been a priest long enough you know where this is leading (or misleading) –somehow this is being a precursor to end times. I’ve read in the Bible about darkening-sky events, but in the case of eclipses which last only a few minutes, there is nothing apocalyptic about them. But look at it in another way, MRI’s and Xray’s are not mentioned in the Bible either, but we use them to diagnose a wide variety illnesses. Jets aren’t mentioned in the Bible, but they sure help get you around.

Armodoxy challenges you to look at nature as an extension of God’s wonders. They are all around. Rather than allowing the unknown and the un-understood to trigger thoughts of end times, celebrate the majesty of God, and all the beauty of His Creation.

We end with this prayer from the Book of Sirach, “The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven, a glittering array in the heights of the Lord. On the orders of the Holy One they stand in their appointed places; they never relax in their watches. Look at the rainbow and praise Him who made it; it is exceedingly beautiful in its brightness. It encircles the sky with its glorious arc; the hands of the Most High have stretched it out. (chapter 43)