Research on unity and shared experiences<\\/strong><\\/h2>\\n Well, research explains why this occurs. When two people participate in a shared experience, their bodies physiologically synchronize. Their pupils might dilate or constrict in similar ways, their hearts might beat in similar patterns, and their breathing might occur in similar waves. Check out this HubermanLab podcast<\\/a> for more information about these studies.<\\/p>\\n Catholic view on unity<\\/h2>\\n**** *\* Now let\\u2019s relate this to the Catholic faith. We hear in Acts of the Apostles that we are One Body, and when one part of the body hurts, the others suffer (Acts 9:4-5). This might seem like an intangible reality as we look around, recognizing distinct bodies belonging to each individual we see. Yet the Biblical words are supported by science, which again, shows that we share each other\\u2019s physiology.<\\/p>\\n *\* Shared experience of Jesus Christ<\\/h2>\\n *\* ****Next time you\\u2019re having a difficult time with someone, try to refocus your thoughts on a common, outside experience\\u2014maybe a movie or performance, or maybe Jesus Christ, hanging upon the crucifix out of love for us. When you do so, notice your body\\u2019s physiological state. Feel your heart beat, your breath go in and out, and even notice the movements of your muscles. Now re-evaluate the situation with the other person. Have you come to some common grounds? Do you feel a sense of peace and, at least a bit, of unity?<\\/p>\\n We are One<\\/h2>\\n If you go see fireworks this 4th<\\/sup> of July, think about all the other viewers as you stare up at the bright-lit sky and feel fireflies swarm around you. Do you think there might be some truth in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27<\\/a> that though many, we are one?<\\/p>\\n Fireworks and unity in Jesus Christ<\\/h2>\\n**** *\* Fireworks are an enjoyable source of unity, and so are other activities, including, like I mentioned, contemplation of Jesus Christ. This 4th<\\/sup> of July, as you watch those beauty blasts with awe, think about how awesome God our creator is. Not only can we rejoice in fireworks together, but we can also view the mountains, the sunset, the enormous redwood trees, and the hermit crab making its way along the beach. When we do so, we become physiologically more similar to others, becoming united in a real, tangible, and even measurable way. This 4th<\\/sup> of July, let\\u2019s rejoice in the freedom that we find in Christ who unites us all in One Body.<\\/p>\\n<\\/body><\\/html>\\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" *\* ****Seeing fireworks is always an outstanding experience. I can recall my childhood memories of walking to the fireworks with crowds of cousins. We sat on blankets while we all looked up, all felt the rolling vibrations, and all felt our mouths fall open with awe as we enjoyed one beautiful blast after another.\\u00a0 To this \[…\]<\\/p>\\n","protected":false},"author":5276,"featured\_media":423,"comment\_status":"closed","ping\_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":\[1\],"tags":\[210,11,207,32,213,216\],"class\_list":\["post-417","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-4th-of-july","tag-beauty","tag-fireworks","tag-psychology","tag-shared-experience","tag-unity"\],"yoast\_head":"\\nExperience One Body while seeing fireworks this 4th of July<\\/title>\\n<meta name=\\"description\\" content=\\"Fireworks are an enjoyable source of unity, and so are other activities, including, like I mentioned, contemplation of Jesus Christ.\\" \\/>\\n<meta name=\\"robots\\" content=\\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\\" \\/>\\n<link rel=\\"canonical\\" href=\\"https:\\/\\/www.patheos.com\\/blogs\\/searchencounterrejoice\\/2024\\/07\\/experience-one-body-while-seeing-fireworks-this-4th-of-july\\/\\" \\/>\\n<meta property=\\"og:locale\\" content=\\"en\_US\\" \\/>\\n<meta property=\\"og:type\\" content=\\"article\\" \\/>\\n<meta property=\\"og:title\\" content=\\"Experience One Body while seeing fireworks this 4th of July\\" \\/>\\n<meta property=\\"og:description\\" content=\\"Fireworks are an enjoyable source of unity, and so are other activities, including, like I mentioned, contemplation of Jesus Christ.\\" \\/>\\n<meta property=\\"og:url\\" content=\\"https:\\/\\/www.patheos.com\\/blogs\\/searchencounterrejoice\\/2024\\/07\\/experience-one-body-while-seeing-fireworks-this-4th-of-july\\/\\" \\/>\\n<meta property=\\"og:site\_name\\" content=\\"Search. 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{"id":417,"date":"2024-07-03T13:38:29","date_gmt":"2024-07-03T17:38:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/searchencounterrejoice\/?p=417"},"modified":"2025-05-06T10:52:09","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T14:52:09","slug":"experience-one-body-while-seeing-fireworks-this-4th-of-july","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/searchencounterrejoice\/2024\/07\/experience-one-body-while-seeing-fireworks-this-4th-of-july\/","title":{"rendered":"Experience One Body while seeing fireworks this 4th of July"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

<\/a>

Unite in viewing fireworks. Fireworks \u2013 Adelaide Skyshow 2010
Photo by Murti<\/a>.<\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Seeing fireworks is always an outstanding experience. I can recall my childhood memories of walking to the fireworks with crowds of cousins. We sat on blankets while we all looked up, all felt the rolling vibrations, and all felt our mouths fall open with awe as we enjoyed one beautiful blast after another.\u00a0 To this day, each time I see fireworks, I feel particularly close to those around me.<\/p>\n

Research on unity and shared experiences<\/strong><\/h2>\n Well, research explains why this occurs. When two people participate in a shared experience, their bodies physiologically synchronize. Their pupils might dilate or constrict in similar ways, their hearts might beat in similar patterns, and their breathing might occur in similar waves. Check out this HubermanLab podcast<\/a> for more information about these studies.<\/p>\n Catholic view on unity<\/h2>\n Now let\u2019s relate this to the Catholic faith. We hear in Acts of the Apostles that we are One Body, and when one part of the body hurts, the others suffer (Acts 9:4-5). This might seem like an intangible reality as we look around, recognizing distinct bodies belonging to each individual we see. Yet the Biblical words are supported by science, which again, shows that we share each other\u2019s physiology.<\/p>\n Shared experience of Jesus Christ<\/h2>\n Next time you\u2019re having a difficult time with someone, try to refocus your thoughts on a common, outside experience\u2014maybe a movie or performance, or maybe Jesus Christ, hanging upon the crucifix out of love for us. When you do so, notice your body\u2019s physiological state. Feel your heart beat, your breath go in and out, and even notice the movements of your muscles. Now re-evaluate the situation with the other person. Have you come to some common grounds? Do you feel a sense of peace and, at least a bit, of unity?<\/p>\n We are One<\/h2>\n If you go see fireworks this 4th<\/sup> of July, think about all the other viewers as you stare up at the bright-lit sky and feel fireflies swarm around you. Do you think there might be some truth in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27<\/a> that though many, we are one?<\/p>\n Fireworks and unity in Jesus Christ<\/h2>\n Fireworks are an enjoyable source of unity, and so are other activities, including, like I mentioned, contemplation of Jesus Christ. This 4th<\/sup> of July, as you watch those beauty blasts with awe, think about how awesome God our creator is. Not only can we rejoice in fireworks together, but we can also view the mountains, the sunset, the enormous redwood trees, and the hermit crab making its way along the beach. When we do so, we become physiologically more similar to others, becoming united in a real, tangible, and even measurable way. This 4th<\/sup> of July, let\u2019s rejoice in the freedom that we find in Christ who unites us all in One Body.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" **Seeing fireworks is always an outstanding experience. I can recall my childhood memories of walking to the fireworks with crowds of cousins. We sat on blankets while we all looked up, all felt the rolling vibrations, and all felt our mouths fall open with awe as we enjoyed one beautiful blast after another.\u00a0 To this […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5276,"featured_media":423,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[210,11,207,32,213,216],"class_list":["post-417","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-4th-of-july","tag-beauty","tag-fireworks","tag-psychology","tag-shared-experience","tag-unity"],"yoast_head":"\nExperience One Body while seeing fireworks this 4th of July<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Fireworks are an enjoyable source of unity, and so are other activities, including, like I mentioned, contemplation of Jesus Christ.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/searchencounterrejoice\/2024\/07\/experience-one-body-while-seeing-fireworks-this-4th-of-july\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Experience One Body while seeing fireworks this 4th of July\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Fireworks are an enjoyable source of unity, and so are other activities, including, like I mentioned, contemplation of Jesus Christ.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/searchencounterrejoice\/2024\/07\/experience-one-body-while-seeing-fireworks-this-4th-of-july\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Search. 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Rejoice.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-07-03T17:38:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-05-06T14:52:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/2006\/2024\/07\/fireworks-l.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"300\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Samantha Mattheiss\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Samantha Mattheiss\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/searchencounterrejoice\/2024\/07\/experience-one-body-while-seeing-fireworks-this-4th-of-july\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/searchencounterrejoice\/2024\/07\/experience-one-body-while-seeing-fireworks-this-4th-of-july\/\",\"name\":\"Experience One Body while seeing fireworks this 4th of July\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/searchencounterrejoice\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2024-07-03T17:38:29+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-05-06T14:52:09+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/searchencounterrejoice\/#\/schema\/person\/df6b7ee42bcd606b6c2ebdd50d994dc0\"},\"description\":\"Fireworks are an enjoyable source of unity, and so are other activities, including, like I mentioned, contemplation of Jesus Christ.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/searchencounterrejoice\/2024\/07\/experience-one-body-while-seeing-fireworks-this-4th-of-july\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/searchencounterrejoice\/2024\/07\/experience-one-body-while-seeing-fireworks-this-4th-of-july\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/searchencounterrejoice\/2024\/07\/experience-one-body-while-seeing-fireworks-this-4th-of-july\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/searchencounterrejoice\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Experience One Body while seeing fireworks this 4th of July\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/searchencounterrejoice\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/searchencounterrejoice\/\",\"name\":\"Search. 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