Yesterday I experienced once again the astounding Byzantine liturgy of Epiphany. Among other things, there was the special blessing of water, wherein the entire natural world is invoked as a chorus of witnesses to its Creator. This gives occasion to ask whether we really see the natural world for what it is, or has our perception been dulled by a pervasive bad science, or our lack of attention, or some other cause.

The stars, and other heavenly bodies, are a kind of focal point. The following words are among the lengthy and stunningly beautiful blessing of water in the Ukrainian Byzantine liturgy:

The sun sings Your praise; the moon glorifies You; the stars stand in attendance about You; the light obeys You; the depths are afraid at Your presence; the fountains are Your servants. You have stretched out the heavens like a curtain; You have established the earth upon the waters; You have walled about the sea with the sand. You have poured forth the air that living things may breathe.

What thoughts go through our head on hearing these words? Do they seem mere pious expressions, or perhaps worse, a leftover from a naïve cosmology? Do the stars really stand in attendance? Did someone pour forth the air specifically so that living things may breathe? Would such things only be said by someone ignorant of ‘science,’ or someone stretching the truth?

The Old Testament book of Baruch has it that God “dismisses the light, and it departs, calls it, and it obeys him trembling; before whom the stars at their posts shine and rejoice; when he calls them, they answer, ‘Here we are!’ shining with joy for their Maker. Such is our God.” (Baruch 3:33-35)

Does God even now call the stars? And do they really answer? Shining with joy?

And if God does call them, and they do really answer, with joy (!), then what does this say about us; or rather, what does this say to us?

Surely, if God calls our non-rational fellow creatures—and I think we do well to reflect upon just how He really does—it is a means to His real focus on calling to us. Perhaps the stars are not only consistent reminders but also an example of how we should respond: with reverential fear, with alacrity, with joy. Day in, and day out.

We can explicitly ask ourselves a key question when we look up at night. In some real sense, are the stars standing in attendance on Someone? Or, is this rather an exaggeration, or the imposition of a pious imagination?

If the former is true, then a whole world (literally!) opens before us, as an amazing channel of communication: we might even say as a whole love-language.

And at certain times that love language speaks especially loudly, in conjunction with the doings of the life of the Savior. I close with some more words from the Byzantine blessing of water, which focuses on when the Lord went into the Jordan to be baptized. We can feel our kinship with the rest of creation. And prompted and encouraged by what we see around us we can enter more fully into the mystery. For such is our God.

Today the Sun that never sets has risen and the world is filled with splendor by the light of the Lord… Today the glittering stars make the inhabited earth fair with the radiance of their shining… Today the waters of the Jordan are transformed into healing by the coming of the Lord. Today the whole creation is watered by mystical streams…Today the whole of creation shines with light from on high… Today things above keep feast with things below, and things below commune with things above…The waters saw You, O God, the waters saw You and were afraid…The Jordan turned back, seeing the invisible made visible, the Creator made flesh…and the mountains skipped… and the clouds gave voice, marveling at Him Who was come… For today in the Jordan they saw the triumph of the Master…

~ ~ ~
NEW PODCAST! KINDNESS: DISCOVERING ITS CENTRALITY. Kindness makes a real difference in life, and it is not an inborn trait. It comes of cultivation and intentionality. Join Sofia and me as we utilize some wise writings to consider the nature of kindness and how to bring its power to bear in our life. Please check out and share our podcasts HERE, on youtube and wherever you get your podcasts.

And don’t forget our Audio Read-Alouds. Here is one of our favorites for Epiphany: The Three Kings and the Children.

*A heartfelt THANK YOU to all who made our annual fund-drive a great success. We are committed to offering (always for free) encouragement, instruction, and resources for all interested in crafting a richer life, starting in our homes.*

John Cuddeback

Husband, father, and professor of Philosophy. LifeCraft springs from one conviction: there is an ancient wisdom about how to live the good life in our homes, with our families; and it is worth our time to hearken to it. Let’s rediscover it together. Learn more.