As I began writing this on Groundhog Day, I didn’t know if Punxsutawney Phil or Sir Walter Wally would see their shadows, and whether we will have six more weeks of winter or an early spring. Either way, life seems likely to go on in the same way, as we all deal with COVID fatigue and yearn for a return to normal life. Our lives for the past year have been a lot like the movie “Groundhog Day” — the same story, day after day.
I have often thought that February is the longest month of the year — and that’s why it has only 28 (or 29) days. Marilyn and I have been so fortunate thus far to remain healthy and to be able to enjoy mostly staying at home. Intrigued by the birds that visit our yard, we recently invested in a deluxe four-pronged bird feeder so we could enjoy watching them more closely. We are having a wonderful time watching these beautiful creatures, who guide us to an ever deeper love and respect for God’s creation.
This has led me to consider the spiritual aspects of birds. We encounter them throughout the Bible — from God hovering over the face of the waters in the first creation story to Jesus comparing himself to a mother hen as he lamented his beloved Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit is often depicted as a dove, especially in Renaissance art. Jesus tells us not to worry, because God, who cares for even the sparrows, surely cares even more for us. Isaiah 40:31 promises that the faithful will mount up with wings like eagles; similarly, Psalm 91 uses imagery of the power and protection of the eagle throughout. In our February 7 morning service, Ashley Clos and Jason Pace shared the beautiful hymn “On Eagle’s Wings,” based on the Isaiah passage and Psalm 91.
We have so much to learn from these wonderful creatures. They enrich our lives with their beauty, their song, their behavior; and somehow they draw us closer to the God who created us all.
The French composer Olivier Messiaen, a deeply spiritual man, was also an accomplished ornithologist who studied birds and their songs, often incorporating them into his compositions. He heard the voice of God in the songs of his beloved birds. With that in mind, in mind, I invite you to listen to “Le Rouge Gorge” (“The Robin”) from his Petites Esquisses d’Oiseaux (Little Studies of Birds) for piano solo.
May you have a blessed, peaceful week as we look forward to the time when we can gather together once more.
David+