Jesus Accelerates a Particle

Because of its success in explaining a wide variety of experimental results, the Standard Model is sometimes regarded as a “theory of almost everything.”—Wikipedia

for Chris Wiman

96% of the universe is what we don’t
see. When Jesus held up his arms

to part the atoms he did not indicate
you had to have mass: your particles

all accounted for but the one that really
mattered. He did not specify you the one

to live forever, the one to write the poem
that completes the theory of everything.

It is not possible to see in the dark to
discover the spot on the x-ray where expansion

of the universe is apparent. He, who put
you together in, who knew you when, raising

his arms, letting you go, accelerating you
toward the speed of light though you never

quite arrive. Your body gaining mass your
hair growing back, time slowing down

for everyone but you.

—Marci Rae Johnson

Copyright © 2014 by the author or Christianity Today/Books & Culture magazine.Click here for reprint information on Books & Culture.

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Books & Culture was a bimonthly review that engaged the contemporary world from a Christian perspective. Every issue of Books & Culture contained in-depth reviews of books that merit critical attention, as well as shorter notices of significant new titles. It was published six times a year by Christianity Today from 1995 to 2016.

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