They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator-who is forever praised. Amen. Rom 1:25The trick was to blow a kiss to the planetary giant called Jupiter, exploit her gravity, and be flung beyond. Launched from the space shuttle Discovery in 1990, the Ulysses spacecraft approached the massive layered marble rolling across the black reaches of space. But could Ulysses break free of a pull 1,000 times that of Earth? As he rounded out his dip into Jupiter’s orbit, he felt her allure of pink, rust-red, and beige dust swirls teasing of glorious mysteries below. At exactly the right moment Ulysses turned his eyes from her beauty and with a blast of his rockets set a trajectory for the Sun. What does Ulysses teach about spiritual life?
God created earthly gifts for us to enjoy. Each has its gravitational pull. The hazy-warm rays of a sunrise in spring, the tongue delights of an hors d'oeuvre, the soaring escape of a symphony; they draw on us saying, “More? Do you want more; to get closer?” No matter how wholesome gifts begin, without moderation they can be misused and made an end to themselves. They would keep us in their orbit forever where we miss the far greater wonder of encountering their Creator.
A beautiful woman, a delectable meal, a vintage wine, or anything for which I can find an appetite, the Ulysses maneuver applies to them all. The blast used to jump orbit is a simple concept shift. When the attraction tugs, I tell myself if Jesus can make something so exquisite then He Himself is exponentially more breathtaking. I turn all my attention to Him. He is the fulfillment of the passion for whatever Jupiter was holding me. I shear away and worship the creative qualities of my Lord. I do it until I feel the gravity of the created thing release its pull.
Prayer: Father, fix my trajectory on the true Son.
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