Communion on the Moon
On the 40th anniversary of the moon landing, Eric Metaxas shares a story I hadn’t heard.
The background to the story is that Aldrin was an elder at his Presbyterian Church in Texas during this period in his life, and knowing that he would soon be doing something unprecedented in human history, he felt he should mark the occasion somehow, and he asked his pastor to help him. And so the pastor consecrated a communion wafer and a small vial of communion wine. And Buzz Aldrin took them with him out of the Earth’s orbit and on to the surface of the moon.
He and Armstrong had only been on the lunar surface for a few minutes when Aldrin made the following public statement: “This is the LM pilot. I’d like to take this opportunity to ask every person listening in, whoever and wherever they may be, to pause for a moment and contemplate the events of the past few hours and to give thanks in his or her own way.” He then ended radio communication and there, on the silent surface of the moon, 250,000 miles from home, he read a verse from the Gospel of John, and he took communion.
I’m not entirely comfortable with this, given my Catholic perspective on the Eucharist. (Even the vocabulary–”taking” Communion, as opposed to “receiving” it — reflects a different understanding.) But it is a fascinating bit of historical trivia. And I am inspired to know that when Aldrin beheld the expanse of space, he responded with a prayer.
The Scripture passage Aldrin read was John 15:5:
“I am the vine, you are the branches. Whosoever abides in me will bring forth much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing.”
What would you have chosen?
While we might not want to debate what Catholics should think of Anglican communion here (since the debate is far more complex than most would want to deal with, including the long history of ordination being done by Old Catholics), the idea of “taking communion” with you like this is very traditional and authentic, and reminds me of what the old Desert Fathers and Mothers would do as they went out into the desert to take over the no-man’s land and transform it into a city of God. In this way, the idea of taking communion to the moon, and receiving there, seems to be the modern equivalent. Too bad we can’t afford a monastery on the moon… yet.
Mollie
I believe Jesus is represented as saying “Take” (Greek labete) in the NAB and elsewhere including the Rheims version. What is supposed to be the problem.
Henry: Agreed — let’s not start that debate! I’m happy to accept that Aldrin’s actions were kosher (so to speak) within the Presbyterian tradition and leave it at that. The monastic/desert fathers angle hadn’t occurred to me — a fascinating idea…
Communion on the moon should be called Commoonion.
My choice of text, naturally: Heb. 4:14 Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.
David, don’t make me call a 24-hour moratorium on jokes here.
David, I thought that was already the punch line to the question, “What do you call communion for a cow?”
Not belonging to a “scripture-only” church, I probably would lean toward a fine hymn text like “Earth and All Stars” (http://herzberg.wordpress.com/2007/11/13/earth-and-all-stars/), or perhaps one of the many settings of St. Francis’ famous canticle (http://www.catholic.org/clife/prayers/prayer.php?p=183)
Pity I didn’t wait until last evening to post the previous comment. Evening Prayer gave us Psalm 136 (the language in my prayer-book is not as inclusive as this version from the current NAB translation but perhaps has a more vigorous diction):
Praise the LORD, who is so good;
God’s love endures forever;
Praise the God of gods;
God’s love endures forever;
Praise the Lord of lords;
God’s love endures forever;
Who alone has done great wonders,
God’s love endures forever;
Who skillfully made the heavens,
God’s love endures forever;
Who spread the earth upon the waters,
God’s love endures forever;
Who made the great lights,
God’s love endures forever;
The sun to rule the day,
God’s love endures forever;
The moon and stars to rule the night,
God’s love endures forever;
I’ve been partial to the Baruch reading at the Roman Easter Vigil, though it deals more with the stuff of stars rather than mundane moons:
The One who established the earth for all time … he who dismisses the light, and it departs, calls it, and it obeys him trembling; before whom the stars at their posts shine and rejoice; when he calls them, they answer, “Here we are!” shining with joy for their Maker. Such is our God; no other is to be compared to him … (Baruch 3:32b, 33-36)
Ooh, Todd, I think that’s my favorite. Lots of good ideas here though — if I ever need the perfect Scripture passage or prayer to mark a historical milestone, I will be sure to ask the dotCommonweal readership.
The first thing that came to mind for me was from God’s wonderful retort in the Book of Job (chapter 38):
“Where were you when I founded the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.
Who determined its size; do you know? Who stretched out the measuring line for it?
Into what were its pedestals sunk, and who laid the cornerstone,
While the morning stars sang in chorus and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
…Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell me, if you know all:
Which is the way to the dwelling place of light, and where is the abode of darkness,
That you may take them to their boundaries and set them on their homeward paths?”
It struck me as noteworthy that Aldrin picked something humbling — “Apart from me you can do nothing.” If I’d been in Aldrin’s shoes I probably would have been in need of a good humbling myself.
Too bad we can’t afford a monastery on the moon… yet.
For a foretaste of that glory divine, read Mary Doria Rusell;s The Sparrow and Children of God.