The last two nights have provided a spectacular sight. Jupiter and Saturn were close in the clear western sky near a bright crescent moon. Yet, as most of you know, weather permitting, it is going to get even better. On this coming Monday evening December 21st, Jupiter and Saturn will be so close together in our line of sight, they may appear to be one very bright star. You have to go back to 1226 and 1623 for a Jupiter-Saturn conjunction this close.
It so happens that December 21st is St. Thomas Day. I was thinking of calling the conjunction after him. But he would defer to Christ. So the Christmas Star of 2020 may be more appropriate.
Imagine if we were in medieval times. A remarkable conjunction on St. Thomas Day, right before Christmas. And December 21st is also the Winter Solstice this year. People would consider this a portent of something, maybe something wonderful . . . or awful. If it were near the year 1000 or 1215 or 1349 (at the height of the Black Death), people might think it would mean the End.
But such medieval thinking was superstitious, of course. Surely, God is not using the skies to get our attention at the end of this awful 2020, right?
Right?
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