One of the stories in the Bible that really troubles me is that of Joshua 10:

"Joshua said to the LORD in the presence of Israel: "O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon. So… the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the LORD listened to a man."

It is beyond me to understand why God would listen to a man who was asking for more light with which to kill, and would perform a vast cosmological miracle to help him. I can’t help but wonder why God would not do such a miracle again, for example to save innocent children from slaughter. Some liberal commentators try to explain this story in light of ancient views of the universe, where stopping an orb in the sky was not a really big deal. They did not have to explain what would happen if the Earth suddenly stopped spinning and laws of momentum and motion were suspended.

I much prefer the image of Solstice. Each year, about June 21st, it appears that the sun which has been steadily progressing higher and higher each day seems to stop its climb and seems to stand still for one day before sliding south again. In many lands big bonfires are lit at this time, perhaps to signal the hot days to come. In America we wait a week and then set off fireworks. Spring has graced us with its beauties; the trees are in their fullness and long days of growth are ahead. Despite wars, oil spills, and recessions I hope you stop with the sun to celebrate and bless all that is good.

Peace, Thomas