It is very easy to turn to newspapers or social media and find stories that are disturbing, that remind you of the fragility of humanity or the presence of evil. These are the reports we hear daily and that influence our lives and our conversations with others. Sometimes, negative news stories are interrupted by ones that give us hope, that speak to our desire for social justice or that just portray the world in a much brighter light.
One such story which recently has been in the news of some countries is a possible one-way trip to Mars. The UK press reported on Wednesday 18th February that 100 candidates have been shortlisted from an initial application pool of more than 200,000 people to make the trip. After further selection, a small group will be chosen who may be the first humans to visit Mars and establish a colony there.
Mars is a long way from planet Earth. So far, in fact, that any trip there would require so much fuel that only enough for a one-way journey can be carried. But what is it that unites Earth and Mars? Creation.
God’s act of creation was the most profound moment of all time. Regardless of the finer details of the event, it was a moment when everything was created out of nothing – Creatio ex Nihilo. Creation was not just an act restricted to the Earth or humanity, but the whole universe. Personally, I find it impossible to think of there being nothing (not even time) and I also find it impossible to imagine the massive extent of the universe. Nonetheless, everything we have ever know, the places we can observe only through the most powerful telescope and the multitude of space we will never know anything about is part of God’s wonderful creation.
