Our new altar is made of maple wood harvested from trees that needed to be removed to enlarge our front drive, a table top of maple wood glass, and an Earth sphere sculpted in plaster and covered in bronze.  The beautifully stained wood sweeps around and upward in two graceful large curves like arms which embrace the Earth and support the table top.  These represent (the curvature of space / time) the elegant caring Wisdom which holds the Universe in perfect equipoise and enables creation, life, to continue to exist and evolve. 

The concept of the altar flows from the central mystery of our Christian tradition, that of the Cosmic Christ, and a fuller understanding of Eucharist in current theology.  Designed by Sr. Mary Southard CSJ, the altar was engineered and built by Mike Holtz and his team at Der Holtzmacher Ltd. of Sycamore IL.  The Earth sphere was fashioned in plaster by Mary Southard and then coated with bronze. The glass in the altar top illumines Earth and enables it to be viewed from all sides.  The mystical insights of Teilhard de Chardin in his reflection, “Mass on the Earth” reminds us that “This is My Body” includes all creation, and includes each of us in our ongoing participation in the Body of Christ.

The Eucharist is our memory of our true nature—the fullness, the Oneness of our relationship with all things, the Divine Oneness from which we came.  The Body of Christ includes the whole sweep of creation, the Universe, human history, all creation, and who gather to celebrate this Eucharist. 

We participate in the Divine Nature that pervades and loves all creation.  We participate in the Divine longing expressed in Christ Jesus to bring all things together into One.