Season of Creation Daily Day 30: In touch with wonder and awe

The Burren

Photo used with permission | PMcLoughlin

by Peter McLoughlin

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The words "awe" and "wonder" are employed at least fourteen times in the pope's encyclical. Echoing the teaching of Rabbi Heschel that without awe the universe becomes a marketplace for us, the pope teaches that "if we approach nature and the environment without this openness to awe and wonder … our attitude will be that of masters, consumers, ruthless exploiters."

So long as we are in touch with "wonder and awe" we recognize a "continuing revelation of the divine" in the smallest and largest forms within nature.

We must first honor and cherish all creation as an expression or mirror of the Divine Beauty. "This, then, is salvation, when we marvel at the beauty of created things and praise the beautiful providence of their Creator," wrote Meister Eckhart.

— Matthew Fox, Daily Meditations May 2019


Live so you're a role model. And tell someone about your commitment.


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Editor's note: Season of Creation Daily is inspired by the Care for Our Common Home Ministry, Paulist Center Boston. To receive daily reflections by email, sign up here.

This story appears in the Season of Creation Daily feature series. View the full series.

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