Tags
Bryce Canyon, divine, experience, faith, God, hoodoo, knowledge, mystery, open, rigidity, science
Our sabbatical journey got back on the road, heading this time to Bryce Canyon in Utah. Before we got started, we watched a fabulous introductory video, telling us all about the flora and fauna of the Canyon, how the hoodoos were formed, the history of the Canyon becoming a National Park, and more. It was a great introduction to what we would see, and what we might miss otherwise.
Despite the very scientific explanation of how the hoodoos (freestanding columns of weathered rock) are formed, I confess that in this one instance, the science leapt out of my mind as soon as I saw the hoodoos myself – or rather the sea of hoodoos. Truly, one hoodoo alone is magnificent. But hundreds of thousands of them is mind boggling. I stood there unable to comprehend how such an unusual sight could be repeated over and over again. All I could conclude was that it was a mystery.
Now I know what you are thinking – there is nothing mysterious about rock formations. I saw the scientist explain the formation process myself! But knowing the science and experiencing the science are two different things. As I stared into what seemed like infinite hoodoos, I kept coming back to that word: mystery.
Sometimes I think we steer clear of the word mystery when it comes to our faith. Saying something is a mystery seems like a cop out, or a way to shut down an intellectual conversation. But I think there is enough in all of our lives that has taught us that mystery is indeed a reality. Labeling some of our experiences, whether in nature or with God, as mystery allows us the freedom to set aside rigidity and open ourselves to things that seem impossible. I wonder where in your life you are finding mystery and how mystery is deepening your sense of the divine.