Everything That Rises

Cells live and die and new cells are born.  Species go extinct and other species emerge.  Stars fade away, and galaxies, and from their matter and their energy new stars are formed and new planets take shape.  New galaxies.  This is happening all the time.  If we in our own small moment are caught up in this larger cycle of life and death, let us give thanks.  Let us give thanks that we are being made more aware of the larger forces that shape our lives, the vast cycles.  Because these cycles are meaningful.  They’re not random, however random and indifferent they might seem. They’re going somewhere, they’re spiraling up higher and higher, they’re moving towards an ever-increasing love, an ever-increasing tenderness.  There are seven trillion cells in my body, Peter said as he was dying, and I’m really curious to find out where they’re going.  And now he knows.  They’re going towards love.  They’re going towards joy.  They’re going towards Christ.