A Faith Journey with a Little Bird in the Window Good Morning Fr. Chrys, Last week, I sent you an email describing an observation that I had made while at morning mass. I had seen a little bird looking in the church window. It landed on the globe cedar bush outside the window to the right of the choir. It stayed there looking inward the entire time that you proclaimed the Word of God and during delivery of your homily, at which point, the bird promptly flew away. This deeply connected with me and I felt it left me with a lesson to think about. It is beautiful to sit still and listen to the Word of God. I think this same little bird visited me three more times, sitting on the globe cedar and looking in the window during key points in the mass.
On Tuesday, April 21, the little bird came
when you were preparing the gifts of bread and wine. When they became transformed to the body and blood of Christ, the bird flew away. I think this affirmed that through this spiritual transformation, Jesus is truly present with us.
On Wednesday, the little bird came yet again. This time it came at the end of mass when you were blessing us and telling us to “go forth the mass is ended.” When you gave your final bow to the altar and then processed out, the bird flew away. Another lesson? Encouraging me to go forth in peace and to share peace and the Word of God.
On Thursday, the bird presented itself two different times. The first was during your homily when you referred to the acronym, “FEAR”, as “false evidence appearing real”, that is, not to accept that, but to rely on God for faith, strength and courage. The bird also stayed during the preparation of the gifts and then flew away. Is my lesson here that in listening to the Word of God and in receiving the body and blood of Christ, I have nothing to fear? In Jesus, I trust.
And then to my awe, at your closing of the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, when you held up the Monstrance in adoration, the little bird came back to the cedar bush and looked inward. When you placed the Monstrance back on the alter, the bird flew away. The peace and emotion that I felt was profound. I believe it is so good and right to sit in the presence of, and to pray to, God.
I feel grateful for these experiences and for reflecting on them. In these times of new challenges and worries, I feel joy and excitement that in God’s own way and with my open heart, He is leaving me filled with encouragement to always stay connected to God and to feel his mercy and love and hope and to know that “The Lord is good all the time and that all the time the Lord is good!”
One might ask if I was being distracted by the little bird in the window. But I think not. One might ask “is God speaking?” I would affirm in my heart that “God is speaking” and that we are all seeing God but don’t always know it. I feel like God looked into my heart and took me closer under his wing and is guiding me deeper into his love and mercy.
What do you think Father Chrys? Was there purpose and meaning for me in that little bird appearing in the window during key points of the mass? Was God catching my attention through this bird?
Peace,
Cindy Pizzi