Speechless in Wonder

Have you ever been speechless in wonder? 

Perhaps you have traveled to a place so out of your ordinary and so naturally striking that you just stood there speechless? Or have you ever emerged from a hike into a clearing with a view that stopped you in your tracks? 

Perhaps you have stood in front of a piece of art so moving that it took hold of you and wouldn’t let you go? Or have you been swept up in a musical composition so touching that you almost couldn’t bear it? 

Moments of wonder are less frequent than they should be. And yet, when they occur, they don’t merely transport us to somewhere else. Instead, they root us to the moment, demanding we fall silent and just be. In that way, moments of wonder connect us to the sacred, reminding us of our place in a cosmos that is, at the end of the day, bursting with a beauty made all the more wonderful for its mystery. 

In wonder, we connect with God, the source of all light and life, the presence that accompanies us even in deep darkness. In wonder, we bow down before the mystery of God’s might and the power of God’s love. 

Children are well-positioned to wonder. They are, in that way, prophets. They see and seek wonder in even the smallest, most ordinary things –a position we adults would do well to practice for ourselves. 

In our Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Atria*, children are often invited to wonder. In fact, everything about Catechesis lends itself to wonder. Our gifted Catechists* are trained to speak with open-ended questions and observations that seek to cultivate and excavate curiosity in our youngest parishioners –a key philosophy of Catechesis being that “silence is a valid response.” Even the materials are simple and restrained so that, in the hands of our children, wondering can continue and God can speak in and through the lack of detail, the silence. 

May we all find space in our lives to take the posture of a child. To acknowledge that we know so very little. To wonder, rather than to despair, at our inability to understand or to control the world. 

May we find space to be vulnerable before God, each other, and ourselves. Space to just observe with wonder the wild, confusing, and glorious creation that surrounds us and to give thanks to the God who laid the very foundations of the earth. 

Faithfully,

 RevMo Crystal Hardin

* Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a unique offering based upon the work of Sofia Cavalletti and Maria Montessori and recognizes that children are already in touch with God in their deepest being. Atriums are specially prepared, sacred spaces in which Catechesis takes place. We have two Atria at Saint George’s! 

*Catechists are guides who wonder alongside the child. If you are interested in learning more about Catechesis and/or serving as a Catechist or Catechist teaching assistant, please contact me!