Sunrise: always a sign of hope
What is it about sunrises that always inspire me with hope? The infinite possibilities of the new day? The knowledge that God has something in store for me today? Simply the world coming to life again?
This morning I was flying into Chicago and took this photo with my cell phone. I was overwhelmed with the beauty of the moment, the frozen, snow covered earth, the city still asleep, the sky cloudless except for the bank of clouds hovering over the warm waters of Lake Michigan.
Perhaps it is just the general euphoria I feel about the possibilities of change after the inauguration, but I saw this light dawning over the Chicago as God’s sure promise to me that today will be a day of blessing and wonder. I was overwhelmed with hope and joy and solace.
What is it about sunrises that can do that?
Scott Steinkerchner in charge of the worldwide internet development efforts of his religious congregation, the Dominicans, and is an adjunct professor of interreligious theology at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis. He has a Ph.D. in theology from Boston College with a specialization in inter-religious dialogue, and is a Catholic priest. 
Scott, Good to see a post from you again!
I have to admit that although I’m an early riser, I’m usually indoors and not noticing the sunrise. When I used to live in warmer climates I would see the sun rise a lot, and it is somehow a very different experience than just a sunset in reverse.
When I was a child we lived in Micronesia and we were once on a boat journey between islands that lasted for days, with terrible storms causing us all to stay inside our little cabin. I’ll never forget my mother waking me up on the first calm morning to watch the sun rise over the Pacific, without a speck of land in sight. It was like being engulfed in light. While we watched flying fish playing around the wake of the boat, my mom reminded me what day it was: Easter morning. Truly an unforgettable experience.
Great share, thank you.
The light of the world, what a gift it is.
I think I enjoy it because it symbolizes yet another day that Cub fans have to live without knowing what a World Series is like…sorry, I had to go there.