Reflect

Br. David Steindl-Rast says that to come alive, surprise is the starting point. “Through surprise,” he explains, “our inner eyes are opened to the amazing fact that everything is gratuitous. Nothing at all can be taken for granted…when our intellect learns to recognize the gift aspect of the world, when our will learns to acknowledge it, our feelings to appreciate it, ever wider circles of mindfulness make our world come alive.” In a throwaway culture, these words are revolutionary. We not only throw away worn out things, our culture throws out people and challenging moments — the unvalued and monotonous. But when we are surprised by gratuitous beauty, all the gifts we have received in our lives, and all that is amazing and miraculous about life, we recognize that we are living on holy ground. This makes life richer and fuller. Life invites us to embrace all of its gifts, while honoring its complexities, paradoxes, and uncertainties.