In recent years, with the invention of the Hubble telescope and the newer James Webb infrared telescope, cosmologists have made dramatic discoveries about space. They agree that the universe is 13.8 billion years old – but Hubble could only allow us to see light emitted 13.5 billion years ago. The James Webb telescope, which was launched into space – interestingly -- on Christmas Day 2021, will possibly answer questions about the variable rate of the universe’s expansion, allowing us to see the formation and growth of galaxies back to the predicted “Big Bang.” We will learn more about the expansion and why the number used to calculate it, the “Hubble Constant,” is, well, not constant after all! The more we learn, the more there is to learn.
This weekend is the final Sunday of Ordinary Time, and we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe. The title permits us to reflect on two words not ordinarily used to describe Jesus Christ, king and universe. In American democracy, we say no leader is a king. Elsewhere, the title king seems to have symbolic value, but not the absoluteness formerly reserved to a person who is king. By definition, a king inherits the divine right to rule.
The universe continues to beguile the physicists and cosmologists who are trying to understand it. Since we, have no certainty about how big it is, the rate of its expansion, or all that it contains, we cannot make sense of an earthly title, “King of the Universe.” What does it mean?
Christianity is the only belief system that recognizes God as divine persons. The person, Jesus Christ, is both human and divine. Physicists and cosmologists bend their knee before the same God you and I do. Belief in the perfect divinity of one God and three Persons is not scientifically observable. Belief does not require our understanding; in fact, belief insists on our not understanding. We will continue to learn additional, perhaps revolutionary, things about the universe. Our science will continue to evolve. However, one constant never changes. Jesus Christ is the King of Universe. On that foundation, and not on any science, rests our hope for eternal joy, thank God! Fr. Gary
