I will end the series on awe and wonder with some thoughts
on practice. Often awe and wonder can
sneak up on us like coming upon an unexpected vista. Awe and wonder can also be manipulated from
within us. Rock concerts with light
shows or Fourth of July fireworks with patriotic music are examples. I am an advocate for seeking awe and wonder
as a purposeful state, that we intentionally find ways to get outside of
ourselves and be taken up into that divine something that is so much larger
than we are.
In our
Sunday worship, we have played with curiosity as a means for developing
awe. Explore the world around you. Find the life that thrives in unexpected
places. Discover an animal species you
have never encountered. We live in an
age where there is excellent access to pictures and videos of creatures you
will never encounter where you live.
Somehow seeing creation work in ways that are completely different from
us, whether the graceful underwater flight of the blanket octopus or the
wide-eyed glare of the tarsier, can be enough to elicit a sense of wonder.
Another
practice of awe and wonder is getting lost in the scope of the universe. This can be as simple as contemplating a
rock, especially one that can fit in your hand.
Feel its contours and solidity.
Pay attention to the many colors and variations, the glint of quartz
particles in granite. Consider how it
got in your hand, the millions of years of pressure underground, the powerful
geological forces that brought it to the surface. The rocks I handed out in worship had also
been smoothed by thousands of years of contact with Atlantic Ocean sand.
Then
look upward to the heavens, consider the night sky, the light years between you
and the nearest star, the age of the light you can see, the massiveness of the
objects in the solar system. Think of the
things we don’t know or have yet to understand: black holes, comets and dark
matter.
In Zen
Buddhism, there is a concept called, “single-minded focus.” It has achieved some notoriety in these days
of many distractions, as people recognize how social media and other
technologies can tug on our focus. It is
the practice of learning how to concentrate on one single moment, allowing distractions
to flow by. In the Christian
contemplative tradition, there is the
practice of turning ones focus fully on the divine. The 13th century anonymous author
of The Cloud of Unknowing describes a God hidden behind the titular
cloud. His advice on prayer was, “Keep
your focus by staring at this cloud with a sharp arrow of love and longing, and
never turn back from this work, no matter what happens.”
In many
ways, what I suggest as practices for awe and wonder are about relearning to
pay attention. Rather than going to the
zoo and saying, “I saw a giraffe,” take the time to watch and learn about what
makes a giraffe beyond its long neck.
Rather than seeing a full moon, labeling it as full and turning away,
take the time to notice its patterns of light and shadow, simply marveling at
its, for lack of a better word, God-given moonness.
Giving
single-minded attention will take us many steps on the path of
discipleship. Such attention given to
scripture leads to wisdom. Such
attention given to ourselves might lead to repentance and self-control. Such attention given to our lives might lead
toward contentment and gratitude. Such
attention given to our neighbor leads to compassion, justice and love. It is no wonder that several times in the gospels
Jesus calls us to attention with the simple words, “Keep awake!” Wake up!
Keep awake! Pay attention to the
awe and wonder that is happening all around you.
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