For the beauty and wonder of your creation, in earth and sky and sea. We thank you, Lord.

“For the beauty and wonder of your creation, in earth and sky and sea. We thank you, Lord."

"Milky Way Above Durdle Door" by Stephen Banks. Gorgeous! You can buy a print HERE

O Gracious Light!

O gracious Light,

pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven

O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!

Now as we come to the setting of the sun,

and our eyes behold the vesper light,

we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,

O Son of God, O Giver of life,

and to be glorified through all the worlds.

~ From The Book of Common Prayer (1979)

The Phos Hilaron (Φῶς Ἱλαρόν) is an ancient hymn - translated into English as 'Hail Gladdening Light' or 'O Gladsome/Joyous Light'. It is the earliest known Christian hymn recorded outside of the Bible that is still in use today. It is part of vespers in the Eastern Orthodox tradition and also used in Episcopal, Anglican, and Lutheran liturgies. My personal favorite version is the translation by John Keble here below:

Hail, gladdening Light, of His pure glory poured

Who is th’immortal Father, heavenly, blest,

Holiest of Holies – Jesus Christ our Lord!

Now we are come to the sun’s hour of rest;

The lights of evening round us shine;

We hymn the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit divine!

Worthiest art thou at all times to be sung

With undefiled tongue,

Son of our God, giver of life, alone:

Therefore in all the world thy glories, Lord, they own.

NASA APOD google search shadowplaynyc blog

"I am the Light of the world"

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12

Milky Way image by Derek Rowly, found at:
http://ourstoriesandperspectives.com/2013/01/17/unwrapping-the-milky-way-at-riverbend-park/ 

Thine is the day, O God, thine also the night; thou hast established the moon and the sun. #Psalm 74:15

Thine is the day, O God, thine also the night; thou hast established the moon and the sun. #Psalm 74:15

Image Credit: NASA/SDO/LRO/GSFC
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_2530.html#.U5TuI3JdWSo 

Exploring God's Wonder and Mystery

God, grant as we discover the fascinating wonders and mysteries of the universe, we may come to know you more truly! Amen. 

NASA / ESA/ Hubble image of NGC 1566 in the constellation of Dorado

Exploring God's Wonder and Mystery

God, grant as we discover the fascinating wonders and mysteries of the universe, we may come to know you more truly! Amen. 

Massive Nearby Spiral Galaxy NGC 2841
Image Credit: Hubble, Subaru; Composition & Copyright: Robert Gendler

Exploring God's Wonder and Mystery

God, grant as we discover the fascinating wonders and mysteries of the universe, we may come to know you more truly! Amen. 

Voyager's Neptune
Composite Image Credit & Copyright: Assembly/Processing - Rolf Olsen,
Data - Voyager 2, NASA Planetary Data System

Exploring God's Wonder and Mystery

God, grant as we discover the fascinating wonders and mysteries of the universe, we may come to know you more truly! Amen. 

Jupiter's Great Red Spot from Voyager 1
Image Credit: NASA, JPL; Digital processing: Björn Jónsson (IAAA)

Exploring God's Wonder and Mystery

God, grant as we discover the fascinating wonders and mysteries of the universe, we may come to know you more truly! Amen. 

In the Center of Spiral Galaxy M61
Image Credit: ESA/Hubble, NASA; Acknowledgements: G. Chapdelaine & L. Limatola

Exploring God's Wonder and Mystery

God, grant as we discover the fascinating wonders and mysteries of the universe, we may come to know you more truly! Amen. 

The Cone Nebula from Hubble
Image Credit: Hubble Legacy Archive, NASA, ESA - Processing & Licence: Judy Schmidt

Exploring God's Wonder and Mystery

God, grant as we discover the fascinating wonders and mysteries of the universe, we may come to know you more truly! Amen. 

Millions of Stars in Omega Centauri
Image Credit & Copyright: CEDIC Team, Processing - Christoph Kaltseis

Exploring God's Wonder and Mystery

God, grant as we discover the fascinating wonders and mysteries of the universe, we may come to know you more truly! Amen. 

Planetary Nebula Abell 36
Image Credit & Copyright: Adam Block, Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter, Univ. Arizona

Exploring God's Wonder and Mystery

God, grant as we discover the fascinating wonders and mysteries of the universe, we may come to know you more truly! Amen. 

Satellite Station and Southern Skies
Image Credit & Copyright: James Garlick

Exploring God's Wonder and Mystery

God, grant as we discover the fascinating wonders and mysteries of the universe, we may come to know you more truly! Amen. 

Halo of the Cat's Eye
Image Credit & Copyright: R. Corradi (Isaac Newton Group), Nordic Optical Telescope

Exploring God's Wonder and Mystery

God, grant as we probe the wonders and mysteries of the universe, we may come to know you more truly! Amen.

Star Forming Region in the Small Magellanic Cloud, NASA Image
www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_448.html 

Episcopal Prayers at the Close of Day

Tonight, I offer two short prayers. One is adapted from the BCP via www.EpiscopalShare.org and changed slightly to reflect my love of SPACE! I'll be using this one almost all the time :-)

God, grant as we probe the wonders and mysteries of the universe, we may come to know you more truly! Amen.

From the New Zealand Prayer Book:
Look down, Lord, from your heavenly throne. Illuminate the darkness of this night with your celestial brightness, and from us, the children of light, banish for ever the deeds of darkness. God our judge and our teacher, let us not waste time when the day is done in guilt or self-reproach. Give us rather the courage to face whatever has been, accept forgiveness, and move on to something better. Amen.

Star Forming Region in the Small Magellanic Cloud, NASA Image
www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_448.html