Saint Thomas Aquinas said there are two books of scripture; the first is the natural world that has existed since creation 14 billion years ago, and the second is the written Bible, which has only existed for about 2,000 years.
We gave our attention exclusively to the written book, which has kept us outside of direct experience, and within dualistic thinking that the ego always prefers. We predominantly bent the written word of God to our ego purposes, instead of receiving it inside the mystery, awe, silence, and surrender—that the natural world teaches and demands of us.
The fundamental attitude of awe is the primal religious experience and the beginning of the search for God. Only people who can fully surrender to things beyond themselves can experience awe, wonder, and enchantment. Spiritual surrender is not giving up, as we mistakenly understand, it is entering the present moment fully and without any attempt at control.
Creation is our first cathedral. Nature is the one song of praise that never stops singing. If we are drawn to reverence, to awe in this cathedral, we can always commune with a Mystery that is infinitely greater than we are. Awe is the antecedent of religion. All religions merely build upon this primal awe that bows before everything.
Romans 1:20 “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.”
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