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As I write this reflection, for the first time in over 50 years, there are four people headed to the moon. Gazing up at the moon on Easter Eve and thinking of the Artemis II astronauts, I couldn’t help but remember the Apollo 8 astronauts who were in a similar position on Christmas Eve in 1968. We take for granted that we know what the earth looks like from Space. But Apollo 8 was the first time we ever saw the earth as the little blue ball that we call home. This was the first time we ever got far enough away from the earth to actually see it.
As the spacecraft came around the back side of the moon, Bill Anders took one of the most famous pictures in history. It’s titled “Earthrise” because he saw the unexpected sight of the earth rising over the horizon of the moon. Seeing earth in that picture changed everything. People had a new perspective on just how fragile the earth is. The modern environmental movement can trace it’s birth in some ways to that picture.
But this was also a spiritual experience. The crew of Apollo 8 famously read from the book of Genesis that Christmas Eve. They read the story of the creation of the heavens and the earth. How appropriate that on Easter Eve this year we read that same story again at the Easter Vigil. God has truly created a home for us. Creation is beautiful, fragile, and belongs to all of us. We are literally all in this together.
Viewing earth from space changed our perspective. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead should change our perspective even more. Now we know that death is no longer the end. This shouldn’t just be something we think about happening at the end of our life. It should make a difference in how we live now. Seeing Jesus risen from the dead changed the way the apostles lived their lives. They were bold and confident instead of afraid. How will this celebration of Easter today change your life? How is your perspective different?
Ever since Apollo 8, we’ve gotten used to being able to see the earth from space. Maybe we’ve also gotten used to the message of Jesus Christ raised from the dead. Thanks to Artemis II, we are now seeing the earth again for the first time. I pray that today’s celebration of Easter might help us to take a new look at this greatest event in history. May the resurrection of Jesus give of all us a fresh new perspective on life.