Is the “Wonder” missing?

The ‘awe in a relationship”... have you lost it?

Do you catch yourself taking them for granted? Familiarity can lead to dullness. Not disrespect, but just missing the enjoyment of the honor and specialness of a person or a place.

This was brought to my attention at a funeral of a friend as I watched the priest go through his usual role leading his congregation through the rituals they were used to.

I have talked to Father Jay Kythe of St. Pius Catholic Church in Cannon Falls before. I am not a member of his faith. But that does not limit his graciousness to me.

But he’s not the first priest to be kind to me. I remember another one years ago who was always available to explain a ritual to me. One time I came in asking for the meaning behind the stained glass windows. He motioned me to follow him across the sanctuary.

I wanted to be careful that I didn’t step anywhere that might be considered holy to his faith and that I was ignorant of. So I made sure I followed him very closely.

It turned out... almost too closely!

You see, I didn’t know he was going to genuflect (drop to one knee) as we crossed behind the altar... and so I had to make a quick stop while trying to balance myself so I didn’t topple right over on him! He never knew (I don’t think!), but I’m still chuckling to this day!

So with this history I watched Father Jay during the service.

Each time he made a reference to God I was fascinated by the awe and reverence he showed. And I wondered how many hundreds of times he must have said the same words... made the same gestures at the altar... and yet he could still express such honor to his creator.

You see, I also follow his creator. And I have a feeling of closeness with God.

But unlike Jay, I realized that I had somehow lost the feeling of awe.

As Jay explains: “My relationship with Jesus is that He is my brother and a close friend, someone whom I love very much.... Not only do I choose to love Him, but I try to see how He loves me in small and big ways every day.

“I thank Him for those acts of love He does for me. It could be something as small as the sunlight filtering in through the window to seeing the charity in the heart of someone I meet...

“The way I do my acts of love for Him is by praying every day, reading the Scriptures, and simply just talking to Him daily.

“Also whenever I extend a hand of charity towards someone else, I extend it to Him ("Whatever you did to the least of these little ones, you do for me").

So you see, thanks to the example of Father Jay... the awe is back for me too.

The kind of awe and wonder that I see again in a new baby... a flower... a sunrise... a friend... and God.

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