A few years ago, my wife and I had the pleasure of visiting Hawaii, and among the many places we visited was the Pearl Harbor National Memorial. It was extraordinary to experience the quiet that envelops the entire area as people walk and stand in hushed silence out of reverence and respect for the thousands of people who died in the attack there on December 7, 1941. Reverence, in many ways, is becoming a lost art, as people today behave very casually and even misbehave in settings that traditionally require a sense of decorum. Reverence is simply the act of showing respect for that which we recognize as sacred (aka “thin places”). In this episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we explore reverence as a way of predisposing ourselves for an encounter with the sacred.
For more about the concept of reverence, check out the following links:
Great choice of topic and reflection. As a catechist, I find even the concept of reverence is hard for my students — no less being reverent.
Thanks Cindy. Indeed, it is a difficult topic to teach in a culture that doesn’t place much emphasis on reverence or propriety. And yet, it is much needed!