Awestruck Under a Starry Sky
Psalm 8 and the Meaning of Life
Looking at the Heavens
In the 21st century, our technological feats have unlocked once unimaginable possibilities. Yet, amidst this progress, we must acknowledge the loss of something precious: the mesmerising nighttime spectacle of the starry sky. Long before light pollution veiled its beauty, we could regularly lose ourselves in the awe-inspiring sight of the stars, a privilege denied to many today.
The starry sky wasn't just a breathtaking display; it served for our ancestors as a gateway for contemplating our place in the cosmos. It prompted reflection on our identity and purpose within the vast expanse of the universe. However, artificial illumination has obscured this wonder, robbing us not only of a magnificent view but also of the chance to ponder our significance in the cosmic infinity.
Contrasting Responses
Among those who once gazed upon the starry heavens was the poet Giacomo Leopardi, who, two centuries ago, contemplated them while battling illness near Mount Vesuvius. In one of his final poems, "La Ginestra" ("The Broom"), Leopardi depicted the infinitesimal nature of humanity and Earth, interpreting it through a materialist and profoundly pessimistic lens. The starry sky catalysed pessimism for him, offering stark proof of human insignificance amidst the galaxies.
However, a different melody emerges in the words of another poet, an anonymous writer who lived centuries before Leopardi. His poem, known to us as "Psalm 8," elicits implications totally opposite to those just described from the vision of the starry sky. While Leopardi found in the immensity of the cosmos reason for disenchanted pessimism, the author of Psalm 8 read in it a revelation of God's greatness that at the same time reveals the dignity and mission of human beings in the universe.
The immensity of the universe is not seen as proof of our being nothing, but as the revelation of an immense God capable of giving Himself without measure in Creation; it is like saying that the billions of heavenly bodies that exist are all a sign of His boundless generosity!
Humanity in the Cosmos
To the fundamental question, "What are human beings?" Leopardi responded with stark materialist pessimism. Conversely, the ancient poet of faith extolled the Creator's care and concern for His creation. Though we may seem minuscule in the vastness of the universe, God's mindfulness of us fills human life with profound significance. This nurturing love rescues us from feelings of insignificance and despair in the vastness of space.
For Christians, the apex of this divine care for humanity culminates in the belief in the Incarnation, in which God's special regard for each individual is manifested through taking on human flesh. From this singular gift, which already began with the act of Creation, arises our responsibility to be custodians of all Creation, including the distant stars, which sing the glory of their Creator.
Cosmic Praise
It was, therefore, more than appropriate that, in 1969, American astronauts T. Stafford and G. Ceman broadcast the proclamation of Psalm 8 to Earth while in space in the vicinity of the Moon. Only a few months later, Pope Paul VI entrusted N. Armstrong and E. Aldrin with this very psalm in preparation for the first moon landing in human history.
Thus it came to pass that throughout the cosmos resounded the exclamation of praise, 'O Lord our God how great is Your name over all the earth!'.
Image by Felix Merler from Pixabay