Ever-expanding Horizons

Ever-expanding Horizons: The Wondrous Gift of the James Webb Telescope 

By Sister Mary Mettler, Toronto, csj

A new telescope – the James Webb space Telescope has arrived and is delivering absolutely stunning pictures of the cosmos.  Do you remember when the book, “The Hand of God: Thoughts and Images Reflecting the Spirit of the Universe,”(1.) first came into your hands?

It was printed in 1999 and showed amazing pictures of galaxies with stars forming and others dying.  For many of us non-astrologers it was the first most significant revelation of the majesty of the universe and the wonder of space and of God’s creative activity.

These past months, we have had our minds truly blown wide-open with the pictures shown by the James Webb Space Telescope.  It reveals a truly infinite expanse of deep space, far beyond the work of the earlier Hubble telescope which has been beaming back jaw-dropping photographs of psychedelic nebulae whirling galaxies and radiant gas formations for more than 30 years.  Those are the pictures in the book referred to above.  Until the Hubble telescope, few of us ever knew that beyond the visible stars, moon and occasional planet, there lay worlds without end.  Yet the stars have always drawn us and like the ancient artists drawing petroglyphs on cave walls we too experience both awe and terror at the unknown. The universe has always captured us with its beauty and its mystery.  It has also left us with the existential question of its purpose and meaning.

Image: Pixabay

Brian Swimme reminds us that “we are the first humans to look into the night sky and see the birth of stars, the birth of galaxies, the birth of the cosmos as a whole.  We are the first generation to live with an empirical view of the origin of the universe.  Our future as a species will be forged within this new story of the world.” (2.)

In 1992, there was a gathering of scientists and religious leaders who came together in Assisi to hear and learn from each other.  The era of the separation of religions and science, brought about at the time of the Enlightenment needed to end.  The scientists were awestruck by what they were learning about the universe and knew that there was another dimension here beyond science but they didn’t have the language to speak of it.

And the religious leaders and thinkers of the time knew that the story of the universe being revealed through science needed to be brought into the religious sphere of knowledge and truth.

In his book “The Phenomenon of Man,” de Chardin wrote,

“Neither in its impetus nor its achievements can science go to its limits without becoming tinged with mysticism and charged with faith”. 3

The question for us today is: will these two, science and religion, once again come together as One – science expanding religion and religion enriching science?  May we live creatively in these challenging and awesome times.

- Sister Mary Mettler, Toronto, csj

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1.       Reagan, Michael, editor. The Hand of God: Thoughts and Images Reflecting the Spirit of the Universe. Templeton Foundation Press. 1999

2.       Ibid pg. 156

3.      Ibid pg. 90

The Many Faces of Poverty

Mahatma Gandhi is quoted as saying, ‘Some people are so hungry that they only see the face of God in bread’. One can witness this every day on the news from Yemen, Tigray, refugee camps in Kenya, Bangladesh, Haiti and closer to home in shelters for migrants in Western society.

Sometimes when I watch the news, I weep with the mothers who are desperately seeking food for their starving children walking hundreds of kilometers in hope.  Some stories are particularly poignant and remain with me:   a mother who set her dead baby by the side of the road, too weak to bury the body, as she struggled to get her remaining children to a camp in hope of help. Mothers who do not have the luxury of grieving the death of a child because her other children are looking to her for survival. The story of the father who had to make an unconscionable decision to leave his near dead child on the side of a road himself depleted from hunger and responsible for carrying his other children who were too weak to walk while being pursued by gruella warfare. Doctors at camps who cannot hold out hope for pleading mothers because they no longer have medicines or food for these extremely malnourished and starving children.

This is the chaotic world we share brought on by human activity: war, climate crisis, greed, and indifference.  However, it need not be the end of the story if we, you, and I, choose to make a difference, step out of our comfort zone and do that one thing of which we are capable and which we have been avoiding.  Listen to your heart and act now - later will be too late. 

-Sister Ann Marshall, csj

Resources of note:

Remember your local Food Bank this season.

An Exemplary Physician

Dr. Laura Lyons is one of our physicians from St. Joseph’s Family Medical Centre in London who attends to the medical needs of our Sisters in residence. She is knowledgeable, kind, caring, and compassionate.  With a smile, our century-old Sister gives Dr. Laura the ultimate compliment, explaining,

“She listens”. 

Recently, I was given further insight into Dr. Lyons’ expertise when I opened the fall 2022 edition of “My St. Joseph’s”, a magazine published several times a year by St. Joseph’s Health Care London. In the lead article titled, “Exemplary Physician, Compassionate Cheerleader”, Dr. Laura Lyons is featured for her fine skill, “filling a great need as an expert in the care of pregnant women who are struggling with addiction”.  Citing the case of an expectant young woman with opioid addiction, the article follows our doctor’s compassionate, professional care for the woman through pregnancy and childbirth.  The continuum of care and trust given by Dr. Lyons assists the woman to leave addiction and, in this case, become a loving mother and business owner.

Indeed, Dr. Lyons is doing exemplary work in her busy practice. We are honored to have her use these same uplifting skills as she ministers with attentive presence to our Sisters needing her medical assistance.

To read the entire article: https://www.sjhc.london.on.ca/news-and-media/our-stories/laura-lyons-exemplary-physician

-Sister Jean Moylan, csj

World Kindness Day

World Kindness Day was initiated in 1998 to promote kindness throughout the world. It began in response to the increasing violence in the world as a way for participants to make the world a better place by celebrating and promoting good deeds and pledging acts of kindness for the days ahead. It continues to be celebrated in many countries including Canada, Japan, Australia, and the USA to name a few. Many schools take the opportunity to engage students of various ages in learning about kindness, compassion, and empathy in their curriculum. The theme for 2022 is Be Kind Whenever YOU can.

As spiritual people we have always been encouraged to be kind long before 1998 and not just for one symbolic day per year.

For the Islamic people displaying acts of kindness is a fundamental aspect of their religion. Islam encourages kindness, compassion towards everyone no matter what colour, status or religion they follow.

For Christians we are reminded that by our works we shall be known. We should treat others as we want them to treat us. We are to be lovers of all creation and so love is patient and kind, is not arrogant or rude. Love rejoices in the truth.

So, what is kindness? Well, it’s not difficult but it is a consistent choice. It is a type of behaviour marked by acts of generosity, consideration, helping without expecting praise or compensation in return. You know this in the core of your being!! It’s the little things you do choose to do every day, without thinking wave to your neighbour, smile at a stranger, pet a dog, call a friend, wear cheery colours, send a card, drive a friend, take muffins to a shut in. We’ve got this! The challenge is for us to make kindness as contagious as covid but way more fun.

Keep up the KINDness every moment, it’s good for your health!

Maureen Condon, Associate of the Sisters of St. Joseph