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A Prayer for Physicists "I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark." Stephen Hawking in an interview in The Guardian, published May 15, 2011 Lord, let each of us who dwell on Earth discover a path along which we may come to a measure of comfort with the terms of our existence. Lord, lay out multiple paths to this end, for we are not all cut from the same cloth. Lord, grant us the wisdom to perceive that we are all wired differently. Despite the fact that we seek the same destination, we come at it from different directions. What is this great end that unites all men? I shall not claim that it is a communal goal, such as a peaceful society or an equitable distribution of resources, since of course we know there are many among us who ardently work against those seemingly innocuous goals. No, Lord, I am not so ambitious as to suggest plans so noble or altruistic. Instead, I see only a common goal of individuals-- to make sense of our singular lives, to find a perspective through which we are able to view ourselves with a fair balance of respect, if not admiration. Lord, some of us find security in a slowly expanding understanding of the physical universe. It is a puzzle that possesses an undeniable attraction. Others find a reassuring pose in the steady faith of Your guiding influence. This too, no less than science, is a mystery capable of igniting the imagination. Lord, as I wander through the woods, following a winding path, I find my way intersects other paths so frequently that I see only a spider web of trails and I no longer can distinguish the original path I intended to follow. I am lost! O Lord, You alone have a bird's eye view of the myriad paths of this universe. You alone observe their beginnings and their endings and their transformations as we follow them. Lord, imbue all travelers with perseverance for none of us shall reach our destination. All paths are endless. Yet, in walking these convoluted roads, O Lord, grant us the spark of inspiration, which permits us to perceive a value in our journey, and the impulse to transmit that value to those whom we meet along the way. |
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A Prayer for Physicists David Keffer Knoxville, TN October 29, 2014 |