Awe and Wonder

And what is the Greatest Commandment, but to Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, all of your soul, all of your strength, and all of your mind (See Luke 10:27ff).

How do we tend to teach in the West? What is our "bias" in where we start our intellectual probing? Do we start with a sense of wonder and awe, or do we start with skepticism and doubt?

Take a few moments to ponder this.

In some of my lentan reading I came across an author who suggested that modern western culture starts with skepticism and doubt in its philosophical understanding of proper education. Of course, the author was suggesting that we should be starting with wonder and awe.

I've been pondering this over the last couple of weeks myself. I'm not sure I have an answer yet. I agree in that having a sense of wonder and awe should be where we start our educational process. I agree that in my own life, it has been those times when I have, or am full of, wonder and awe that I learn a lot. It is what drives me deeper into a subject matter. It is what makes what others might call a dull subject matter so interesting to me. I even agree that one can learn a lot from someone else's passionate awe and wonder about a certain subject matter. But I'm not sure if I agree with this author on where the Western culture's philosophical starting point is.

As part of my pondering I share the following:

A first grade boy I know has become fascinated with all things huge and large and big, especially Mountains! As a result, he is reading maps (to find where mountains are, "Did you know that Mountain Kilimanjaro is in Tanzania?"), learning big numbers and facts ("Joel, did you know Mount Baker is 10,778 feet tall?") and causing me to learn what other peaks are in the area ("Do you know what mountain that one over there is called?"). It is his wonder and awe that is causing him to delve deeper into these subject matters.

"Wonder is an act in which the mind confronts the universe." Rabbi Heschel

Revelation comes in two volumes: one written in nature, and one in the Bible - Aquinas, Eckhart, Hildegard and others.

May your Lent be filled with Awe and Wonderment - with Revelation - with Love and Compassion.

Blessed Be,

Joel