"Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundation of the earth?" These questions from the prophet Isaiah in our lesson from the Hebrew scripture today grab my attention. I am reminded of Meister Eckhart (German theologian, 1260-1328) who told us that creation was the first Bible, the way we humans could come to know God long before we could read the Word of God or would come to experience the Incarnate Word of God.

Some years ago on retreat, I came across a lovely picture book entitled The Hand of God: Thoughts and Images Reflecting the Spirit of the Universe (Begley and Reagan, Templeton Foundation Press). The publisher says, "Awe-inspiring Hubble telescope photographs convey the grandeur of the universe, and heart-expanding words from across the ages add to the sense of awe and wonder." I have found that to be true. Recently I have been using that book as part of my daily meditation, focusing my attention on one page each day. It has opened within me a new sense of wonder and awe, a sense that it is all, the entire cosmos, "the vast expanse of interstellar space and this fragile earth our island home", sacred, a sense that the hand of God continues at work "in the accelerating expansion of the universe, in the spiraling of galaxies, in the explosion of supernovas, in the singularity of black holes, in the regularity of the solar system." (Source unavailable).

Unfortunately, it seems we, in our haste for progress, have forgotten what our ancient forebears knew so well, that our Creator uses all of creation to manifest the Divine in our midst. May we once again come to open the eyes of our hearts and sit in awe and wonder that we do live entirely within God's presence everywhere, in everything and everyone.