Sense of Wonder
On Sunday we visited a different church as Mass was said for Uncle Jim. It's a very nice church with the seats sort of in the round so you get a true sense of community. The place is well-lit, the sound from the altar is good, and the choir was in fine form.
A young girl was seated a couple of rows ahead of us. The kid couldn't have been more than two.
"Can you imagine having a kid that age?" I whispered.
"She's so cute," Kathy said.
I've always rather enjoyed the community of it all.
My beautiful wife, on the other hand, is of less of a mind to look around in a sense of wonder. Her A.D.D. seems to kick in a bit.
"They changed the words," she whispered.
The old automatic responses didn't work to some of the prayers.
"Two years ago," I whispered back.
We traded glances with our aunts and cousins. Smiles and nods and near-tears all around.
As the Our Father started I sort of grimaced as they changed it to song form for the Mass, but as I watched the choir I spotted a man about ten years older than me. He was in the back of the choir and his eyes were raised to the ceiling of the church. He was singing as though his entire soul needed to be saved. Eyes closed. Vein in his neck pumping.
A true sense of wonder.
And then out of the corner of my eye I looked at the young girl. Her left hand was locked with her Mom's hand. Her right hand was raised high with an open palm. During the closing of the prayer she got up on her tip-toes. She was saying the words.
Her sense of wonder just beginning.
And I spent the rest of the Mass sort of bouncing around from face-to-face.
The 90-year old guy, eyes closed. Praying hard for something.
The 65-year old guy, smiling at the woman beside him.
The 50-year-old woman in the choir, also singing as if talent scouts were watching her.
The 70-year-old priest telling us that God is good, and to give to the lawn fete.
Mass was over except for the public announcements.
I was in a state of wonder - from 2 years old to 90 years old.
All gathering in the Name of God.
Still gathering.
Searching for...
...comfort...
...strength...
...love...
...beauty...
"LET'S GO!" Kathy whispered after the priest threatened to bring up another guest speaker.
She was up and out the door.
I can't say that I didn't agree with her. It seemed that Mass had devolved into a public-service announcement at the end. The business side of it gets me down.
But the sense of wonder in the faces of those gathered.
Makes up for it.
A young girl was seated a couple of rows ahead of us. The kid couldn't have been more than two.
"Can you imagine having a kid that age?" I whispered.
"She's so cute," Kathy said.
I've always rather enjoyed the community of it all.
My beautiful wife, on the other hand, is of less of a mind to look around in a sense of wonder. Her A.D.D. seems to kick in a bit.
"They changed the words," she whispered.
The old automatic responses didn't work to some of the prayers.
"Two years ago," I whispered back.
We traded glances with our aunts and cousins. Smiles and nods and near-tears all around.
As the Our Father started I sort of grimaced as they changed it to song form for the Mass, but as I watched the choir I spotted a man about ten years older than me. He was in the back of the choir and his eyes were raised to the ceiling of the church. He was singing as though his entire soul needed to be saved. Eyes closed. Vein in his neck pumping.
A true sense of wonder.
And then out of the corner of my eye I looked at the young girl. Her left hand was locked with her Mom's hand. Her right hand was raised high with an open palm. During the closing of the prayer she got up on her tip-toes. She was saying the words.
Her sense of wonder just beginning.
And I spent the rest of the Mass sort of bouncing around from face-to-face.
The 90-year old guy, eyes closed. Praying hard for something.
The 65-year old guy, smiling at the woman beside him.
The 50-year-old woman in the choir, also singing as if talent scouts were watching her.
The 70-year-old priest telling us that God is good, and to give to the lawn fete.
Mass was over except for the public announcements.
I was in a state of wonder - from 2 years old to 90 years old.
All gathering in the Name of God.
Still gathering.
Searching for...
...comfort...
...strength...
...love...
...beauty...
"LET'S GO!" Kathy whispered after the priest threatened to bring up another guest speaker.
She was up and out the door.
I can't say that I didn't agree with her. It seemed that Mass had devolved into a public-service announcement at the end. The business side of it gets me down.
But the sense of wonder in the faces of those gathered.
Makes up for it.
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