By Dr. John Mark Reynolds

WhimWham, the two-year old granddaughter of whom few greater can be conceived, has come to the first stage of the Great Conversation. The Great Conversation began when God walked with the first human, it became less lonely when God created more than one of us, and it has continued. Dialogue begins in a question, the recognition of needing to know something one does not know. WhimWham is asking questions. Or rather, she is asking one question: She asks “Why?”.

She asks “Why?” of everything, everybody, every time.

Wham is not afraid of questioning old truths. If told Grammy is in charge, she will say “Why?” When given a good reason, she will say “Why?” This will go on for some time if you let it, and a good educator will occasionally let it go on for a while, however maddening. 

After all, “Why?” is only secondary to “Who?” in the pursuit of truth. 

There is a limit to Whim’s pursuit of the truth, however. Whim has decided we do not know why my name is Poppa Plato. Who were we to gainsay her? She has spoken and is uninterested in why. Recently, I discovered another limit. 

This Pascha I promised WhimWham a treat: Duplo blocks carefully hidden in my office. These Duplo blocks were much desired, and Whim Wham wanted to find them right from the moment she came to Grammy’s house where Poppa Plato lives. 

She made her demand: “We should go get the treat Poppa Plato.”

“Why?” I asked. 

“I want the treat.” She honestly answered.

Why?” I said puckishly.

Wham looked at me with pity. “The time for ‘why’ is over. No more ‘why.’”

The Time for Treats had come.

And there is a lesson, a simple one from the WhimWham, about Pascha. Education will often require asking “why?” Wondering is wonderful, but sometimes it is the time for treats.

One can surely ask in a classroom about the liturgy or ask questions, any sincere question, about some idea about God or the Church. This is precisely not what one does when one sees the True Light in the divine service. The experience is the thing that captures the conscience, moves the soul, and purifies the mind. 

This is true of even human relationships. One loves the beloved, and while loving simply is loving. The time for “why” is not now. A man experiences love and only later after that moment has passed has time for “why.” That can be important as one does not wish to be deceived or misunderstand even wonderful experiences. Greater wonder demands closer examination.

Part of folly is confusing the Time for Why with the Time for Treats. The mistake works both ways. Sometimes it is Time for Why. We must look at the world and must query … “Why?” We wonder because we do not understand and sometimes, we should understand. The “why” brings the joy of discovery regarding nature and nature’s God. To sit and eat treats in the Time for Why is an act of spiritual laziness. 

Yet we are headed ultimately to the Time for Treats: the great wedding supper of the Lamb. We journey and wander about not for the sake of the journey, but the eternal holiday that will come and already is for our departed beloved ones. We wonder, but not without hope and faith in finding the truth, goodness, and beauty. If those of us still living do not yet experience the fullness of the Time for Treats then we still can get a glimpse each Sunday. We can find the Treats in solving a hard mathematics problem or engineering a building. We have some treats as a foretaste of the eternal Treat to come.

Thank you WhimWham: let us go get treats.