Our expression “awe” is rooted in the Greek word
from the Dictionary
áchos which also gives us the word ache. That
vastness we experience in awe opens an ache in the
heart, and by doing so, expands it.
Awe opens that beautiful ache in the heart. It reminds us of the immensity of the universe. That realization can leave us feeling simultaneously small and large, insignificant and essential. The immensity of the universe certainly humbles us. It’s so vast and timeless compared to our short and relatively small existences. And yet, here we are part of this magnificence. That’s pretty astonishing! That’s why when I gaze up at the stars flecking the night sky or look down at the gold leaves scattered across my yard I have a religious experience, an experience of being awestruck.
It’s for this very reason that our UU faith encapsulates awe in the first source of our living tradition: “direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life.”
This month we are exploring the places where we experience awe and the nature of those experiences. Join us as we search the heavens, our relationships, and day-to-day lives for the places that open our hearts.
Yours in love and faith,
Rev. Sandra