Nourishing Our Sense of Wonder

Each issue of SND USA Magazine will now include a feature article on spirituality by a guest writer. We hope you find the words inspiring, insightful, and encouraging.

Nourishing A woman, living on the shores of Lake Huron, had her three-year-old grandson visiting for Christmas. One morning the two of them sat in the living room

Our Sense watching the sunrise over the lake. It was a beautiful sight, with the yellow and orange light reflecting on the water. The next morning the woman was working in Wonder the kitchen when she heard her grandson yelling excitedly from the living room, “Grandma! Come quick! It’s doing it again!” When Jesus told us to become like little children, I think he was encouraging a childlike sense of wonder like that of the of Wonder woman’s grandson. Children marvel at just about everything—even ordinary things: the rising sun, a creeping woolly worm, a Sister Melannie Svoboda chocolate chip cookie. has ministered in education, Why is a childlike sense of wonder so formation, and leadership. important for our spiritual lives? First, Currently she gives talks and retreats nationally. She wonder begets learning. When we wonder about things, we are often drawn to learn more about them—whether they be a is also the author of many certain person, an unusual bird at our books including: Hanging feeder, or even a passage in scripture. Onto Hope, The Grace of Beauty: Its Mystery, Second, wonder can incite us to action. Power, and Delight in Daily Life, and Picking Our awe of rivers and forests may lead us to join conservation efforts to preserve Strawberries: Prayer-Poems to Nourish the Soul. them for future generations. Similarly, a disturbing news headline can move us to Visit her blog “Sunflower Seeds” at get involved with a particular social issue. www.melanniesvobodasnd.org. Wonder can often lead to selfless service.

Third, a sense of wonder can bring us to make s’mores over an open fire, to read closer to God. St. Thomas Aquinas said a certain poem, to go on a 6-hour river that wonder was “the first rung of the cruise, to take in a good movie, to sip a ladder that leads to God.” Wonder or glass of wine together on the back porch. awe has the power to generate prayerful communion with God. And lastly, wonder When we wonder about things, we are instills life and vitality. following in the steps of Jesus. He stood As author Merry Browne in wonder at the birds of the wrote, “You know you’re air, the lilies of the field, a hen old when you’ve lost all sheltering her chicks beneath your marvels.” When we her wings. He was fascinated by bread rising, wheat If wonder is so important, wonder germinating, wine aging, then how might we nourish and tiny seeds growing into wonder in our daily lives? about big trees. He marveled at One way is to slow down. This can be hard because things people too: the playfulness of children, the profound we live in a world that defies speed. We drive we are love of parents for their children, the compassion of fast, work fast, talk fast, eat fast, and demand that our following a Centurion for his servant, the faith-driven spunk of internet service be fast. So, we need to slow down in the steps the Syro-Phoenician woman who wouldn’t take no for an on a regular basis or even of Jesus. answer. pause from the rush in order to pay more attention to the people and world around us. In this way we can become noticers—especially of beautiful things: the dark inquisitive eyes of a child, the softness of a kitten’s fur, the taste and texture of Grandma’s nut rolls, Jesus So, may our prayer be: God of Wonder, when I behold the marvels of this world, I am filled with awe, vitality, and gratitude. Help me to nourish my sense of wonder by slowing down and becoming a noticer. May my wonderings lead to selfless the comforting strains of a favorite song. service of others. I ask for these graces We can also encourage others to take time the power of his awe-inspiring Spirit. to wonder with us. I have been dragged by family members or friends to go for a walk through our attentive Brother Jesus and in the park, to sit and gaze at a sunset, Amen.