In this article “Science fiction, and what Jesus said to the woman at the well,” Fr. Jonathan Tobias discusses the possibility of extra-terrestrial life, what human nature is like, and the meaning of worship.
My favorite line is, “Wherever there is beauty, Christ the Word is speaking to your heart of the Love the Holy Trinity has for you.”
Many portions of the article are to me extra-rich soul food, but I will share just a little here. I hope you will like to read more on Fr. Jonathan’s site.
It is interesting that everyone “worships.” You can’t help worshiping some god or another one. If it isn’t the true God, then a human being will construct his own version. He may not call it “god” and will probably even deny that his invention is a “god,” but it occupies the place of “god” in his thoughts and emotions. The very people that claim that God does not exist, but that there is only stuff that you can scientifically observe are the people who have ended up making this “stuff” their god.
Human beings cannot get away from their human nature. Worshiping “god” is a necessary part of what makes us human (and I suggest here that “worship” is the highest act of being human). You and I are going to worship something: “You’re gonna have to serve somebody,” as Dylan once sang. You can deny the true God, but you cannot deny worship. Worship is tangled up all through your psychology: seeking god is not part of your consciousness … it is your consciousness.
Let me say that again.
Seeking God IS your consciousness. It is the essence of your rationality. Seeking God is your life. Seeking God is the air that you breathe.
Let’s just hope that the “god” you seek is the true God, the Holy Trinity, of Which Jesus is the only Word.
-Father Jonathan Tobias
Gladsome Lights 
Very interesting. I went to his website and copied the piece to read at my leisure. Much spiritual food for thought.
Have a nice holiday ~ FlowerLady
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Such true words.
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For a few minutes, I felt as though I was reading Luther’s exposition on the first commandment, from his Large Catechism. Here are just a couple of quotations:
“A god means that from which we are to expect all good and to which we are to take refuge in all distress, so that to have a God is nothing else than to trust and believe Him from the whole heart… If your faith and trust be right, then is your god also true; and, on the other hand, if your trust be false and wrong, then you have not the true God; for these two belong together, faith and God. That now, I say, upon which you set your heart and put your trust is properly your god…”
” Whoever trusts and boasts that he possesses great skill, prudence, power, favor, friendship, and honor has also a god, but not this true and only God. This appears again when you notice how presumptuous, secure, and proud people are because of such possessions, and how despondent when they no longer exist or are withdrawn. Therefore I repeat that the chief explanation of this point is that to have a god is to have something in which the heart entirely trusts…”
I loved this post not only for what it says, but also because it sent me back to Luther, whom I haven’t visited for a while.
It tickles me no end to listen to “atheists” go on. From this perspective, there are no atheists. Everyone trusts and believes in something with their whole heart — even if it’s only themselves!
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Yes! If only we were more inclined to examine our behavior, our motives.
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Alright- the premise of linking aliens to the Samaritan woman caught my eye. Very interesting article with some great points- thanks for sharing!
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Wow! This hit home. Thanks for sharing
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Too true. Every word.
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Rich site. I knew nothing about the Carpatho-Rrussians. Interesting comments too. Never read Luther. I get a lot from visiting here!
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