A Eclipse Reflection

The solar eclipse in Atchison was a little disappointing because of rain and cloud cover, but we did see a sliver of the sun and experienced the darkness as the moon came between the sun and the earth. The people who came seemed to appreciate the presentation by Dr. Aileen O'Donoghue on"Eclipses, Einstein, and the Fabric of our Souls." She explained in understandable language the physics behind the phenomenon with an excellent Powerpoint and emphasized how God was there in every new discovery.

People came from California, Texas, New York, Oklahoma and Nebraska to experience the once in a lifetime opportunity. A busload of people from St. Paul's Church in Olathe, Kansas, came with their pastor. I'm sure they will be telling their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren that they witnessed the eclipse on August 21, 2017 in Atchison. Liliana Parra, who came with her husband and three young children, said that she had mixed emotions --feelings of aloneness in  the vastness of space and amazement to realize God was there in the midst of it all.

Awe filled the crowd as they peered through their eclipse glasses. When the darkness covered the area, people were swept up in the mystery of light and dark, stars and planets punctuating the sky. It all seemed so ethereal as we craned our necks to see the rim of the sun.

Afterwards we had a brief prayer service praising and thanking God for his wonders. We could say with Peter, "Lord, it is good for us to be here!"

Image may contain: sky and outdoor
View of eclipse above St. Cecilia's Hall at Mount st. Scholastica in Atchison. Photo by Dennis Dunleavy

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