Did all of the talk of the solar eclipse tire you out? By the time Monday arrived, I was worn-out by it all and couldn’t wait for it to happen so that we could get on with our lives. Sure, it was an interesting scientific phenomenon that happens infrequently, just another proof of the wonder of creation and how much God’s hand has crafted this wonderful world that we live in.
In past cultures, of course, things were different. If you watched any of it on the television, you learned how some cultures felt that some animal, anything from a goat to a frog to dragon was eating the sun. One particular culture saw it as the end of the battle between the moon and the sun, and this was a moment of reconciling, as both sides were coming together to be one again. I kind of like that explanation, although it is very unscientific. Some native cultures converted after experiencing the eclipse.
We know that some natural phenomena can have an effect on us. A full moon can affect our sleep patterns, the birth of babies and even criminal acts. In some Asian cultures, rice is only planted during the first quarter of the moon. On very sunny days, many people are in good moods whereas if the days are dark or cloudy, some people tend to be more tired and irritable. Typically the day after a typhoon in Japan (probably the same for a hurricane), the sky would be cloudless and blue, the humidity low and the weather just perfect.
St. Francis refers to the sun, wind, air and fire as his brothers, and to the moon, stars, earth, water and death as his sisters. God has created all of them for us. All of this leads me to be more in awe of God and the wonders of his creation and how it all fits in together. And of his immense love for us.
Fr. Ken
St. Mary, Cause of Our Joy Catholic Church 