Guest Post: Merry Christmas...From Space!

This guest post was written by my husband Peter.

Christmas has always been my favorite time of year. Far beyond the receiving of gifts, I have always looked forward to gathering with friends and family around warm fires and good food. In my blessed experience, Christmas is a season of wonderful tastes, smells, sights, and sounds. But, as a father, my greatest joy has become watching my children's faces light up as they open a gift I have given them. Truly, giving is my joy and is what makes Christmas most special for me. This, of course, reminds me of the greatest gift that was ever given to mankind - the Son of God, born as a babe in a manger.

As I read the Christmas narrative in the Bible, the entire story is amazing. So many accounts of danger, intrigue, wonder, and perfect love leaving heaven to become humanity. It's hard for me to pick a favorite part of the Christmas story, but if I had to pick one, it might be the account of the Magi following the star to find the Christ Child. I suppose it is of particular interest to me because I love all things having to do with space and astronomy. The sense of wonder and excitement that I feel as I discover new heavenly sights through my telescope on a dark night must be similar, in a very small way, to the joy that filled the hearts of the travelers when they saw the star and "rejoiced with exceeding great joy" (Matthew 2:10 KJV). What awe must have gripped the hearts of those faithful searchers as they opened their gifts before the King of Kings.

Thinking about space and the part it plays in the Christmas story gives me an idea for how to wish you happy holidays. A few days before Christmas in 1968, NASA launched Apollo 8 with three astronauts aboard: Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders. They would become the first humans to celebrate Christmas at the moon.

To set the scene, I'll take you back to December, 1968. NASA is engaged in the space race, and is trying to prepare for the eventual mission that will put an American astronaut on the lunar surface. However, up to this point, no humans have ever ventured out of low-earth orbit. So, a few days before Christmas, our three brave adventurers are sent into space aboard Apollo 8. Their mission, though obviously complex, has a fairly simple purpose. Fly to the moon. Prove that humans can actually do that. Once they arrive, they are to take up-close pictures of the Sea of Tranquility - the eventual landing spot for Neil Armstrong's lunar module. But, this also means that this will be the first time in history that a human being will see earth from a distance. Never before have we seen ourselves from another world. We have no idea what the earth looks like from space. We have no idea what we look like to the rest of the universe. But that is about to change.

Apollo 8 launches from Florida and begins heading toward the moon. Of course, they are heading away from the earth at this point, so no earth views yet. Then, when Apollo 8 reaches the moon, it enters lunar orbit - flying around the moon. But again, the rocket is pointing in a direction that prevents our astronauts from seeing the earth through the window. Finally, as the astronauts come around the edge of the moon for the fourth time, the earth comes into view. Suddenly the mission is set aside as the first humans in history to see us from the vantage point of the moon stare in amazement at our home. As Bill Anders would later say, "We came all this way to study the moon, but when we got here, the most significant thing we saw was the earth."

Still reeling from this excitement, NASA informs the astronauts that NASA is going to publicly broadcast their evening news transmission which is to take place just a few moments later. In part because it is Christmas Eve, and in part because of the excitement surrounding the space race, NASA informs the astronauts that this evening news transmission will be broadcasted to the largest audience in history to hear a live human voice broadcasted over radio and television. As Frank Borman relates, the only instructions that NASA gave them were to, "do something appropriate."

I've included a couple of YouTube videos that will help you understand this exciting event. But I promise that you will be blown away when you hear what the astronauts had to say to the earth that Christmas Eve! 

Video #1: A little bit of background.

This video is, admittedly, a bit dull and technical. But, stick with it to the finish. It will help you understand the next two videos.

Video #2: Christmas at the moon.

This is the same event as depicted in the first video, but this time from the perspective of the astronauts who were there.

Video #3: Apollo 8 Christmas Eve Message.

This video contains the full audio of the Christmas Eve message that was sent to earth from the moon by the astronauts aboard Apollo 8.




As you plan your holiday festivities, I hope these videos give you a sense of just how special you are. Providence has placed you on earth: a tiny mote suspended in the vastness of space, an oasis of life. As you plan your holiday festivities, know that you are living in the one place in the universe where we can say with certainty that God has taken on human form and walked among people, the one place in the expanse of space where God's love has been made known to humankind. Truly, your life has been spectacularly arranged so that you might have the best possible chance of encountering God's gift of perfect love.

My hope and prayer for you at this holiday season is that you will experience, in a new and life-changing way, the love, peace, and grace that comes only from the Christ Child.

Merry Christmas from our house to yours!