By Jennifer Menneci
Never having been interested in all things related to science, I failed to appreciate the importance of a geomagnetic storm. But the beautiful northern lights produced by the most recent geomagnetic storm drew me to investigate what exactly this type of storm is all about. Briefly, it’s a major disturbance of Earth’s magnetosphere, the magnetosphere, of course, being the space around the earth. A local weatherman described it as a bolt of energy transferred from the sun to the earth.
Suddenly, I’m interested. Couldn’t I liken this ‘bolt of transferred energy’ literally, to Jesus’ arrival on Earth some 2,000 years ago? Didn’t Jesus cause a disturbance in the way we see people, treat people and love others?
Recently I’ve been cultivating a new habit. My doctor suggested getting some early morning sunlight to increase vitamin D so, no matter the weather, I wake up early enough to be outside at dawn. I grab the dog and a cup of coffee, and sit on the porch, gazing, thinking and praying. But now, considering my cursory research of geomagnetic storms, I must say that I may have been asleep all this time, not having appreciated the morning sun as a shot in the arm of Jesus’ light at the dawn of each day.
My grandson recently joined me for my new healthy habit. Not content to just sit and watch the sunrise, he wanted to move off the safety of the porch and head out into the deep, boldly unafraid of what the morning light might bring. Awake, my soul, indeed. What a ‘shining’ example of being led by a child to understand God’s message in this geomagnetic storm: boldly go out, unafraid, glorifying the light of Christ! (And, had it not already been realized, I may have discovered the relationship between science and God!)
Editor’s note: Jennifer Menneci is associate director for the office of Child and Family Catechesis in the Diocese of Syracuse.
