Saturday, January 12, 2008

The Meal on the Moon

The guide at the Houston NASA Center seemed extremely knowledgeable. Maybe that was because he was a retired high level mission controller who did Thursday afternoon tours because his wife wanted him "out of the house so he would tell the same old story to someone else."
After the formal tour with personal insights that were found on none of the posted informative signs, I lingered to talk with him. When asked what I did for a living, I had to go public with my calling - "clergy." Often that information is either a "show stopper" or a lead into a litany of questions about my sanity and, even possibly, faith. With this revelation on the table, Bill - that was the name on the badge - told me that he was a member of the Webster Presbyterian Church...the same church which the second man to step on the moon, Buzz Aldrin, was.
He then quickly asked a question: "Do you know what was the first meal consumed on the moon?" I had not idea. He then said: "Communion!" On his moon arrival Aldrin celebrated the sacrament - he had a communion cup given him by the church. At the time he was "receiving" communion the members of Webster Presbyterian Church were also celebrating the sacrament.
I kept thinking what most Americans would have had for their first meal on the moon - something that would identify our culture just as the flag planted by Aldrin's partner, Neil Armstrong, did. A Big Mac on the moon? Nathan's hot dogs and French fries on the moon? Grits or Texas barbecue on the moon - I am in Texas at the present moment?
I have to admit that my first thought on the answer to Bill's question wasn't communion. Maybe I should have remember that was are "one nation under God." But somehow God seems to get lost under the culture....or should I say consumed by it?
What would you have selected as your first meal on the moon?

Eating Too Much Earthy Food, But Thinking of Heavenly Food,

Bob

2 comments:

C. Tate said...

gotta love those Presbyterians

Tim.Hultquist said...

Bob,

Thanks for the lovely story. I was moved by the fact that these two guys celebrated communion on the moon!

Take care and God bless you and Gretchen!

Tim