麻豆约拍

Good morning. A wise person once said, 鈥淩each for the moon鈥�even if you miss, you鈥檒l land among the stars!鈥�

Sad to say, it was just such a spirit of adventure on this day in 2003 that ended in tragedy, as the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated as it re-entered the Earth鈥檚 atmosphere, with the loss of 7 crew members.

Throughout human history, new boundaries of knowledge and understanding have been set by those who are prepared to take a risk, push the limits and seek the ultimate challenge...even when that leads to disaster.

The very idea that people can travel beyond the safe cocoon of the Earth's atmosphere is awesome, with our own British space hero, Major Tim Peake carrying that baton on the International Space Station at this moment.聽 But it's worth remembering that the glamour and the thrill of a rocket hurtling into space is only part of the story; astonishing advances in medicine and technology have emerged from the everyday work of the space programme, expanding our knowledge and horizons and affecting the lives of us all.

But the journey to the stars raises deeper questions as well.聽 Scientific boundaries have been reset and new questions posed, as our understanding of the universe and the origins of life is deepened and challenged with each new discovery; and that raises questions for me about the search for ultimate truth and knowledge of God, that run close alongside each new-found fragment.

I believe the memory of those who put their lives on the line as part of this search should inspire each generation, to push those boundaries even further, be that a search for new technology, new worlds or even a new understanding of the God of Creation.聽 That's why today, we can remember the crew of Columbia and celebrate their contribution to the epic human journey of discovery.

So Lord, as we search for fuller knowledge and deeper understanding, give us wisdom and courage on the journey and a faith that鈥檚 robust and open to every challenge.聽 Amen.