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Persian mystic Rumi is one of the most often quoted mystics in our day, transcending religious lines. He said this:
 “Do not feel lonely, the entire universe is inside you. Stop acting so small. You are the universe in ecstatic motion. Set your life on fire. Seek those who fan your flames.”

Lent is often considered a solitary journey as we traditionally use it as a time to examine ourselves and engage in practices that bring us closer to God. While this is a part of the spiritual journey, we also know that human beings were made for relationship. This is why it is so vitally important that we experience collective awe. As we continue to explore what it means to be “purveyors of awe,” we learn of the powerful benefits of togetherness. In a time when we have been through one of the most isolating times in human history, we remember and are grateful for a renewed ability to seek connection.

Awe is a gateway to connection. As we have experiences that give us a sense of being part of something larger than “just us,” our penchant for self-preservation and obsession with the competitive default-self gives way to a renewed commitment to the greater whole. We need moments of “collective effervescence” that increase hope and joy at being part of the human family. Let us pray:

Awe-inspiring God,

we come together this day because we need to be reminded

to see through the lens of connection.

It is too easy to have everything we need without seeking out 

relationship or connection to another human being.

Open us to perceive anew.

Inspire us to receive our surroundings with awe.

Forgive us when we get complacent, when we choose routine 

over opportunities for new experiences.

Be with us on this journey

as we seek again to marvel at your works.

Weekly Scripture – Psalm 149:1-6a,9b & Luke 8:40-48

As we continue our worship series this Lent and consider what it means to be a “curator of awe,” we focus on one of the most important elements for curating a life of spiritual depth: curiosity. The ancient poets of our faith and the mystics of old wrote prolifically about “seeking” as a spiritual attribute. Faith is not about certainties; instead, it is about taking the stance of humility that we cannot know everything and that the spiritual quest is what it means to be faithful: to be on a quest to discover more and to experience more of the holy in our lives. Staying curious is a condition for awe.

The element of curiosity is linked to wellbeing of all kinds – spiritually, mentally, creatively. Awe-filled experiences are curiosity-boosters. Play, imagination, experimentation, and even simply slowing down to “linger longer” as we engage with the sights and sounds and smells of our ordinary surroundings can add to the amount of awe in our lives. Curiosity resists easy labeling and classifying; rather, it invites us to deeper discoveries about life, faith, and each other. Let us pray:

Awe-inspiring God,

we come together this day because we need to be reminded

to see through the lens of curiosity.

Too often, we focus on being right instead of being curious,

and this closes the door to deeper relationship and understanding.

Open us to perceive anew.

Inspire us to receive our surroundings with awe.

Forgive us when we focus only on what’s wrong

rather than allowing the right and good to show us the way forward.

Be with us on this journey

as we seek again to marvel at your works.

Our first reading is from Janet Barker-Evans, who describes herself as an executive creative director, poet, writer, wordsmith, perpetual student of the world..

“If we allow ourselves to ask bigger questions, if we embrace curiosity about every aspect of what we’re pursuing — even curiosity about ourselves and our own bias and blind spots — then we can unlock the awe that brings us to new and greater levels of thinking.”

Weekly scripture – Psalm 8 & Luke 2:41-52

Mystic, author, and Benedictine monk Brother David Steindl-Rast said this:
 
“It is through wholehearted living that meaning flows into our lives… You see the sandpiper and something in you says a wholehearted yes, or you hear the rain and your whole being says yes to it. It’s a special kind of yes; it’s an unconditional yes.”

We continue our journey through Lent taking on a special lens, that of a deep and profound sense of awe. This is a spiritual journey in the tradition of ancient biblical poets, of mystics from yesteryear or today. In our scientific day, researchers are confirming what these poets and mystics knew all along–awe is essential for a life of wellbeing. In a time when we are flooded with a culture of competing soundbites, we are slowing down and spending time on a journey that leads to a precious stream of the deeper meanings of ordinary life.

The good news is that we humans are “meaning-mongers.” Our brains are wired to interpret the ordinary stuff of life in metaphorical ways so that we can make some sense of it all. We long for meaningful lives in which we are more sure about the direction of our lives and about what we are to bring to this world. We yearn for experiences that leave us feeling more fulfilled. When we are “on the lookout” for meaning in our lives, we live at a deeper level, and mere existence turns into purpose. 

Weekly Scripture – Luke 4:1-13 & Psalm 19

Professor of Jewish Mysticism and beloved author, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, said this: “Our goal should be to live life in radical amazement… Get up in the morning and look at the world in a way that takes nothing for granted. Everything is phenomenal; everything is incredible; never treat life casually. To be spiritual is to be amazed.”

This Lent, we are invited to consider that one of the most important gifts we can give is to be “purveyors of awe.” A purveyor is someone who spreads or promotes a particular idea or who deals in a particular good. Our quest in this season is to promote a state of awe about the lives we’ve been given and revel in the sheer miracles of life that surround us. This is a spiritual journey in the tradition of biblical poets and of mystics. In our modern day, researchers who study wellbeing know that when we cultivate elements that deepen our awe of life, our appreciation for others, our dedication to the good, we live longer, more purposeful and more joyful lives. In a time when we are exposed to the weight of the world by the messages around us, we will spend time on a journey of being exposed to the wonder of the world.

The “wide eye of wonder” creates optimal conditions for awe. When we open our senses to the “extraordinariness of the everyday ordinary,” we have begun the journey to a deeper existence than what resides at surface-level. Wonder can be an antidote to anxiety and depression, pulling us instead toward the awe-filled knowledge that there is more than meets the eye, there are solutions in the midst of problems, possibilities where we sense only dead-ends. Let us pray:

Awe-inspiring God,

we come together this day because we need to be reminded

to see through the lens of wonder.

Too often, we relegate what is always amazing to what is ever familiar,

forgetting that there are mysteries and miracles in the ordinariness of our lives.

Open us to perceive anew.

Inspire us to receive our surroundings with awe.

Forgive us when we focus only on what’s wrong

rather than allowing the right and good to show us the way forward.

Be with us on this journey

as we seek again to marvel at your works.

Weekly scripture – Psalm 107:1-9, Psalm 139, & Luke 13:31-35

In the scriptural story of the Transfiguration, three disciples go with Jesus to the top of a mountain where they see a vision. Moses and Elijah appear and talk with Jesus, who appears radiant.

The disciples have an experience that they will later describe as seeing Jesus for who he truly is, who each of us truly is – a beloved child of God. Visions are a time-honored form of wisdom communication throughout and across human history and culture. 

Like dreams, they usually need interpretation. But they are more common, even today, than our rational technical world might believe.

Weekly scripture – Exodus 34:27-35 & Luke 4:21-30