By Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou
The launch of the Voyager 1 satellite in September 1977 was one of NASA's most successful launches. 46 years have passed since then and it still travels and continues to have communication with the earth. It has already crossed the limits of the solar system and is now traveling in interstellar space. Now it is located 24 billion kilometers away from the earth. In 40,000 years at a speed of 60,000 kilometers per hour, it is estimated it will reach half the distance of the nearest star to us, Alpha Centauri. This satellite carries a golden CD disc with photos of the earth and life forms, music, scientific information and messages from leaders in 55 different languages, in case it encounters an "intelligent civilization in the Universe" (Vasilios Petrouleas, Physicist) on its course.
Scientists make a great effort to find some information about life and even about intelligent beings in the vast Universe and to come into contact with them. They are sending messages to the Universe and looking for some response from it, someone to hear a voice, someone to meet, and so far no one is listening. Science does its job and this is its job, to investigate the unknown elements of the cosmos that surrounds us.
However, people and especially Christians are not moved as much as they should be by our "Heavenly Visitor", as Saint Kallinikos, Metropolitan of Edessa, would say. Two thousand years ago He came from heaven to earth and became a man out of love for us. This "Heavenly Visitor" came and conveyed to us His own messages, the will of God, not from an "intelligent being", but from the Triune God, and taught us not just to live well biologically and socially, but to acquire life and the abundance of life, which is theosis. He Himself said: "I came that they may have life and have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).
He came to raise us to the heavens beyond the Universe, without satellites, but with the Church, to acquire communion with the uncreated Grace of God. "Christ on earth, exalt Him."
Saint Kallinikos wrote in his Encyclical titled "Christ on Earth": "From the heavens to the small corner of the universe, what is the earth compared to the innumerable multitude of stars? Not even a grain of sand. From the peaceful heavens to troubled humanity. From the holy heavens to sinful earth. He came to be close to man. He humbled Himself, He became flesh and bones. He became a man" (Encyclical 1973).
Unfortunately, people have not yet received this heavenly message that Christ has come to earth and they are unhappy. This holy Hierarch wrote in another Encyclical (1969):
"Man without Christ is unhappy. Not even the moon satisfies him. Not even Mars will satisfy him. Not even the conquest of the other planets will quench his thirst. Only the incarnate God, only the Infant of Bethlehem, only our Lord Jesus Christ fully satisfies the heavenly-citizen people."
Will we "heavenly-citizen people" meet this "Heavenly Visitor"?
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.