Msgr. Pope on the Beauty of the Stars

"One of the central elements in the Epiphany story is the star. There are numerous theories as to what exactly it was. It may not have been a star at all, but Jupiter or Saturn, which are said to have come quite close to Earth around the year 6 B.C. I thought of that the other day because Jupiter is currently bright in the southeastern sky a couple of hours before sunrise along the East Coast of the U.S. With high-powered binoculars one can even see some of its many moons. 

"Most of us city dwellers have no idea what we're missing when it comes to the night sky. Up until about a hundred years ago the night sky was illuminated with thousands of points of light, a breathtaking display many moderns have rarely if ever experienced. 

"My first and only real glimpse of the magnificent Milky Way was about 20 years ago. I was visiting a priest friend in rural North Dakota in mid-January, and the sky was cloudless, the temperature just below zero, and the humidity very low (thus, no haze). . . . I was astounded by the sight, but at the same time I felt a bit angry that I'd been deprived of such a view all my life. Is this what the ancients saw every night? This must be what inspired the psalmist to write. . . ."

In recent commentaries, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the beauty of the starts "in unbelievable numbers forever singing as they shine."

To access Msgr. Pope's complete posts, please visit:

Community in Mission: Have You Ever Really Seen the Stars? (6 JAN 19)