St. Sophia Website

They were known as the Seven Wonders of the World. The Hanging Gardens at Babylon, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the Great Lighthouse at Alexandria, the statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes, and the Great Pyramid at Giza. They were monumental works, and architecturally magnificent. They were truly theamata or "things to be seen." Unfortunately, only one of these ancient buildings remains. The rest were either destroyed by earthquake, plunder, or a combination of the two never again to be seen.

Wonder. Now there is a strange word. There used to be quite a catchy jingle about, "the wonder of it all." But what is wonder? Is it a random thought? Could it be an idea which surprisingly pops into a person’s cerebral cortex and just as quickly dissipates? How about witnessing unexplainable occurrences. That must certainly be wonder, or is it inexplicable, impetuous behavior? Is it something which occurs and is overwhelming? Is it beauty in the eye of the beholder?

Wonder is many things. It is looking at the sky through the eyes of an inquisitive child and asking why the sky is blue. It is watching a youngster find his balance and ride a bicycle for the first time. It is the first time an event takes place and you are there to witness it, like walking into Yankees Stadium and watching a ball game. It is watching a bunch of kids playing and shouting, "Do over," rather than standing up to one another in an unrelenting argument. It is discovering stars doting the sky and twinkling on a dark night after the neighbor has shut off the luminous spot light. It is watching a meteor shower. It is rain falling and thunder clapping, and lightening crackling. It is catching snow flakes in the palm of your hand and discovering that no two are alike. It is watching a bird take flight and gracefully circle skyward. It is the discovery that we are all flawed, and still His children. Wonder is a heightening of the senses. Wonder is innocence. Wonder is discovery.

Two thousand years ago, a Wonder was Incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became man. God, Himself, dwelt among us. He was the King of kings, Building of buildings. He was not recorded by the great historian Herodotus, or by Philo. He was the greatest Temple of all time – for all time. His name: Jesus Christ.

The presence of Jesus Christ in a world filled with class distinction, noisy distractions, torment, idolatrous belief, lascivious behavior, and a common goal of survival proved to be a wonder beyond imagination. He certainly fulfilled the classic description of "to be seen." How could this man, born of a woman, yet forever existing heal the blind to see, restore the lame to walk, cure the sick and infirm, bring people from death to life, forgive sins, and promise eternal life? Who was this Wonder constantly surrounded by followers who proudly walked in His shadow; Who dared to preach the reward of peace, forgiveness, and love in a world torn by strife, slavery, political ambiguities, and war? Why He was the Wonder of wonders. No one before and no one since has been able to so captivate people from all walks and stations in life. The rich, the poor, the downtrodden, the outcasts, the healthy, the lame, the curious, and the not so curious followed Jesus up and down mountains, into and out of valleys, through cities, towns, and villages alike. They sauntered through the desert, and into homes of both the revered and the outcast. "No man spoke like this man." He was a Wonder, and He bid us to come into His world, in spite of our shortcomings. "Follow me and you shall see angels ascending and descending," He proclaimed. "I am the living water. He who drinks from my water shall never thirst." He was blatantly honest with those who would pose questions. "How can I inherit eternal life," the young man asked. "Do not murder, commit adultery, honor your mother and father, and love your neighbor as yourself," He replied. "Whom do you say you are," Pilate questioned? "Do you not know that I have the power to let you live or to die," the Procurator chided. "Answer me." Christ’s response was to remind the political tyrant that he had no real power over Him. He was a Wonder.

He left us reminders after his ignominious death, and glorious Resurrection. He sent to us the Spirit to inspire and guide us. He established Baptism as the way to accept His presence within us. He broke bread and drank wine, requesting we do this in remembrance of Him. He blessed the marriage feast and freely shared Himself. He was accessible to both believers and non-believers. He did not shy away from controversy, nor hide from the authorities bent on His destruction. He was a Wonder, and He has asked us to, "Follow Me."

Today, the Church allows us a venue to respond to His calling and to marvel at His Wonder. We are provided many avenues to Jesus and His promise of eternal life. We have the sacraments at our disposal; Baptism, Chrismation, Communion, Confession, Unction, Marriage, and Ordination. We are provided with His stirring Words and Teachings, through the Gospel compiled by His early followers, and reminded how to live our lives emulating the Word through the Letters of Saints Paul, John, and James. We are captivated by His wondrous signs, which we often refer to as miracles. We have followed the earliest of traditions passed down to us by His earliest followers by making the sign of the cross with three fingers placed together to remind us of the Holy Trinity, and two fingers clenched in our palm to remember He was both true God and true man. And all this still continues more than two thousand years after the events of Holy Week. He is truly a Wonder.