Tuesday, February 7, 2023
“The universe from the beginning has been in constant motion, a constant, “workaholic” bundle of energy in which vast fields of energy connecting across cosmic spaces continuously form, a hyper-energetic mass of bursting mind-like stuff, spewing molecules into the atmosphere with the creativity of an artist.”
Ilia Delio, Making All Things New
+
“Desde sus comienzos, el universo ha estado en constante estado de agitación, como si fuese un inquieto haz de energía que generase constantemente, a lo largo de los espacios cósmicos, extensos campos energéticos; como si fuese una masa hiperenergética que acabara estallando convertida en algo parecido a una mente y lanzase moléculas a la atmósfera con la creatividad propia de un artista.”
Ilia Delio, Making All Things New
What is being moved?
What is asked?
There is the big universe … and our piece the planet.
When I saw the expression “The Universe is in Motion”
given the recent earthquake (motion) in Turkey and Syria,
my consciousness went straight to that. It reminds me of the
humble situation of humans in nature, and that we need to respect
nature and its movements. And that ironically on the news, viewing
the photos of the damaged high rise apartments in Turkey,
juxtaposed with the human violence originated damaged apartments
in Kiev, I scratch my head at human folly and malevolence.
On the one hand, rushing to save … on the other rushing to kill.
The profundity of the above analogy is heartbreaking and true.
As one who must be humble in ignorance of ultimate reality, I can say that I believe, though as a human, advised to rest sometimes, to be still and pay attention to God (and God’s creation). I accept that God’s ways are not quite like humanity’s, though humans are made in God’s image, as we believe. And though we wish eternal rest to those who have “died,” an experienced hospice nurse infers that those about to leave our sphere of existence are highly active spiritually just before their last breaths. From this I imagine that those who move to the ultimate reality from the point of “death” are as active in their way, thenceforth as the ultimate reality (God). So when I pray to a saint, God is “there.”
Nice timing given the zGenesis readings at Eucharist! And God saw that it was good.”
Fortunately many rush to try to save in damaged Kiev, as well. Perhaps this is the universal love in action, in stark contrast to the violence and malevolence of those seeking to destroy property and the innocent in Ukraine.
Motion has a peculiar relationship with stillness in the universe, which began with the advent of the creation event (Big Bang) billions of years ago. It started when the silent “without form and void” (Gen.1:2) exploded into the “Let light Be” (Gen. 1:3), and with it sound, motion, sequence (time), and the entire material creation. Naturally, the sound and light show became the dazzling headliner, showboating of late via the Webb telescope. But for the void (plenum) there would be no creation, or motion, or time, or evolution, or history, or anything sequential. That’s because God dwells there, the silent partner of the ex nihilo that drives the space-time carousel. And s-he keeps it all going from there – like an Energizer battery. (Note, batteries and motors on devices are typically kept out of sight, unbecoming to appearances.) Stillness and motion are forever paired, like latent and manifest, leaven and bread, unconscious and conscious — the spirit and flesh of the whole production.
Creativity is life on earth.