Pastor Rob
by Rob Caudillo
In his book, Dangerous Wonder, the Rev. Michael Yaconelli wrote:
“It was one of those snowfalls you never forget. Millions of white flakes filled the air, quieting the earth and swallowing the sounds…My nephew stood in the living room at the opening of our deck, a stranger to snow, his two years of life about to be altered irrevocably. His eyes were blank, unaware; his body clueless; his mind about to be overloaded with the electricity of discovery…In a perfectly timed instant the deck lights went on, the camera started recording, the sliding door swept open, and a two-year old was transported in his aunt’s arms from the world he knew to a world he had never seen.
Wonder filled the air.
His eyes stretched wide with astonishment, as though the only way to apprehend what he was seeing was for his eyes to become big enough to contain it all. He stood motionless, paralyzed. It was too much for a two year old, too much for an any-year-old (too often when a person gets older, the person’s “too-much detector” malfunctions, corroded by busyness and technology). He twisted and jerked each time a snowflake landed on his face, feeling it tingle as it was transformed from hostile cold to friendly warmth, caressing his face with tiny droplets of water. Just behind his large eyes you could see sparks flying from the crosscurrents of millions electric stimuli overwhelming the circuit breakers of his previously small world. His mind was a confusion of strange, conflicting realities: white, cold, floating, flying, tingling, electric, landing, touching, sparkling, melting – causing an overload so great, so overwhelming, he fell backward – a slow -motion landing in the billowy whiteness, the snow tenderly embracing him. He had given up trying to understand snow and had given in to experiencing snow.
It was a moment of wonder.
...My nephew’s awe and wonder caused him to surrender to the snow by falling into it. For a few magical seconds, the danger of snow had given way to the wonder of snow…He didn’t know whether to cry or laugh, to be afraid or happy…What moments! What holy moments!”
As we journey through the season of Lent which leads to the reality, truth and grace of the Cross of Christ – What moments! What holy moments! Experiencing – giving into the Cross of Christ, is indeed a moment of wonder!
“I want a lifetime of holy moments. Every day I want to be in dangerous proximity to Jesus. I long for a life that explodes with meaning and is filled with adventure, wonder, risk, and danger. I long for a faith that is gloriously treacherous. I want to be with Jesus, not knowing whether to cry or laugh”, said Mike Yaconelli. Jesus said, “Take up your cross and follow me.”
Peace and grace,