Advent And the Magnificence Of God
The magnificence of God beckons us into a deeper relationship with Him this advent.
Have you ever on a beautiful starry night gazed out into the stars? Have you ever gazed out into the moon and the stars at night when there aren’t any other distracting lights around? If you’ve ever done something like this then I am sure that you cannot help but marvel at our God who created it all.
Please allow me to tease your mind a bit. As you may know I am from the beautiful island of Trinidad and Tobago with a population of about 1.2 million. If you were to go a few miles into the sky, Trinidad and Tobago and most of the Caribbean will no longer be visible. The earth with all of its land masses and vast oceans and billions upon billions of inhabitants, when compared to Jupiter is like comparing a golf ball to a bowling ball. Jupiter in turn is significantly smaller than the sun and when compared to the sun, it looks like a marble alongside a beach ball; and the earth is like a very, very small pebble compared to the sun. Now as big and magnanimous as the sun is, there are stars so much more magnanimous that the sun can be made to look like a small metal ball from a gear wheel along side a beach ball; Jupiter will be like a grain of sand; and the earth – well it just won’t be visible any more.
If we extend our view even further into the galaxy; even the largest of stars fade into apparent oblivion; more so Jupiter, the sun and the earth. Scientist with modern technologies are discovering galaxies they never knew about before; and even with all the technology that there is, may never (and might I be so bold as to say will never) be able to explore nor grasp the fullness of all that exists in outer space. There are countless galaxies out there and even if we went to the edge of our galaxy – the Milky Way – even the sun and Jupiter will become invisible. More so the earth! This kind of reminds me of a scene towards the end of Men in Black – part 1, where the galaxy – if I remember right – was depicted as being contained in a small ball that hung around the neck of a cat.
This video ends by saying “WE are not the center of the universe.” Actually we are!. We are the center of God’s Love! WE are the “apple of His eye”. That is so profound, the way that God Loves us – the way HE Loves you – the way HE Loves me.
So where am I going with all this? There aren’t any words that can adequately describe all of creation in all its grandeur, it’s magnificence and inexplicable beauty. All of this was created by God; and of all that He has created; of all the galaxies and stars with all their splendor, the countless planets, God is intimately interested in earth and in the human race; so interested that he came down from heaven, forgoing His divinity to live among us men in the form of His Son Jesus Christ. In Trini parlance we will exclaim – “dat is thief head!”Dat is blow mind”!
It is all true. The earth is absolutely insignificant compared to all of God’s creations; yet it is this insignificant ‘speck of dust’ that God is most interested in and us mere mortals that He is absolutely in love with. It was for us mortals, us that are collectively like a speck of dust, that He, GOD, has given everything through Christ Jesus His Son.
It is really mind boggling to think that this magnificent, all Powerful God, Creator of Heaven and earth, is so in love with insignificant us that He came to live amongst us in such absolute humility that he, the King of all kings, was born not in a palace nor a 5 star hotel, but rather was born in a stable surrounded by animals.
In yesterday’s first reading from the Prophet Isaiah, God says, ‘Lift up your eyes on high and see who created these things: He leads out their army and numbers them, calling them all by name. By his great might and the strength of his power not one of them is missing!
When I think of the magnificence and the greatness of our God, I understand even more clearly what St. Paul means when he wrote, “After saying this, what can we add? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Sister; brother God is for you. God loves you with a love so pure and so true, that the human mind can never comprehend.
When the catholic Church reminds us during this beautiful season of advent to be a people of hope, we can hope in God because of who HE IS! HE IS MAGNIFICENT! When the Church reminds us to prepare a way for the coming of the Lord, we all with great enthusiasm should adhere to this request. Think about it for a moment. Think about what I have written above – and it is all true! If all of creation which God has created – the sun, the moon, the stars, the galaxies – is so stunningly beautiful, can you imagine the beauty of the CREATOR?! I do not know of anyone who in their right mind, will not want to spend eternity with God, and prepare a way for His coming, making straight the path of their lives, by HIS grace.
