I closed yesterday’s blog on the Artemis II lunar mission with a teaser that Christian astronaut Vic Glover had an Easter message. I didn’t hear it live. I just heard about it last Tuesday. You can listen to it, it’s only 1:35.

Here’s what he said, when asked by a CBS news correspondent for an Easter message:

I don’t have anything prepared, but I’m glad you asked. These observances are important. As we’re out here looking at the beauty of creation, my personal perspective is that I can see the earth as one thing. And when I read the Bible and look at all the amazing things that were done for us, whoever created it, you have this amazing place, this spaceship.

You guys are talking to us because we’re in a spaceship really far from Earth, but you’re on a spaceship called Earth that was created to give us a place to live in the universe. Maybe the distance we are from you makes you think what we’re doing is special, but we’re the same distance from you. And I’m trying to tell you — just trust me — you are special.

In all of this emptiness — this is a whole bunch of nothing, this thing we call the universe — you have this oasis, this beautiful place that we get to exist together.

I think, as we go into Easter Sunday, thinking about all the cultures all around the world, whether you celebrate it or not, whether you believe in God or not, this is an opportunity for us to remember where we are, who we are, and that we are the same thing, and that we’ve gotta get through this together.

As he finished, the other astronauts spontaneously shook his hand. Christina Koch applauded.

It was moment reminiscent of the Apollo 8 crew reading Genesis 1.1 – 10 on Christmas Eve 1968:

William Anders

We are now approaching lunar sunrise and, for all the people back on Earth, the crew of Apollo 8 has a message that we would like to send to you.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

Jim Lovell

And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

Frank Borman

And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas — and God bless all of you, all of you on the good Earth.

Praise God for them all. A bit of workplace ministry!