Brother Matt, a really good message.

Brother John, I too have a special love of astronomy and the cosmos. Much of my career (the non-military side), has been as a computer engineer in the field of space exploration and in astronomy and astrophysics. Besides working on a number of NASA spacecraft missions and at one of the worlds largest observatories, I still remain a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador and do some photometric research. (A little known bit of info... I am listed as the co-observer on the discovery of an entirely new class of variable stars. It just means I spent a lot of very lonely nights up on a mountain top doing what I love!)

I agree that life is a learning experience. That is our primary reason to be here. To learn things that can best be learned by the experience of human life. That is why I think that life is so precious. We should not waste even one second! Learn from everything we can while we are here. And the greatest thing that we can learn is love! Love for God, love for all of creation and love for all our fellow brothers and sisters of the human race!

Sometimes, when I am looking out into the universe, I tell myself that no matter how beautiful and how majestic the universe is, it's still just a small reflection of God. And when you look into the face of an child, or even at the simplicity of a single small flower growing on a weed, you can say the same thing!

Peace and goodness to all...

Phil

Your conversttion reminds me of the lines for the Form C Eucharist prayer of the Episcopal Church Book of Common Prayer:

God of all power, Ruler of the Universe, you are worthy of glory and praise.

At your command all things came to be: the vast expanse of interstellar space, galaxies, suns, the planets in their courses, and this fragile earth, our island home.

By your will they were created and have their being.

From the primal elements you brought forth the human race, and blessed us with memory, reason, and skill. You made us the rulers of creation. But we turned against you, and betrayed your trust; and we turned against one another.
Have mercy, Lord, for we are sinners in your sight.

Earth Divinity School--great term! When I was 6 years old in the second grade, I developed a love of astronomy, the cosmos, that I still enjoy today. Indeed, it has played a significant role in my Franciscan spirituality. One day in our 2nd grade classroom, we had a guest speaker. The next day we were given an assignment: write a thank-you letter. Our teacher gave us stamped envelopes and put the guest's name and address on the blackboard. We were told to use our own address as the return address. Here is what I wrote: John Boylan
19601 Friar Street
Reseda, California
United States
North America
Earth
Solar System
Milky Way Galaxy
Universe
I then took my envelope up to the teacher and asked her if I could have one of those big brown envelopes on her desk because my address took up the whole envelope and I didn't have enough room for the guest speaker's address. She told me to erase everything after "California" because that extra part wasn't "important". I have spent a lifetime presenting an alternative "worldview" to the Mrs. Delgado s of the world. The Big Picture is the more important part! It is wonderful to be a part of a community that understands that!

Earth Divinity School. I love this term.

We are here to grow and develop as spiritual beings, in physical form. We need not have unrealistically high expectations of ourselves and others. We are not here to exemply perfection. We are not living here to take one very long spiritual final exam

We ARE here on planet Earth to develop. We can expect that we will make mistakes, and misteps. Oh well. We just pick our selves up and keep moving on the path, learning what we can. To put it another way, being in the state of Grace is not the desired outcome but the starting point where our growth continues. Ok, you're "saved". Well good for you! Not what? Can you manifest events? Can you manifest bread? can you teleport? ha ha Well, Ok. I can't teleport yet, either. But I'm workin' on it! I have no sense of humor. Jesus said: You will do all these things...and greater. wow, dude! Cool

Bro Matt

I just wanted to say a quick thanks to all who have shared in this thread. What more can I say but that silently I bow down!