Hello,
Last week I saw something that I had never seen before. In the early evening one day last week,
my wife and I were sitting on our deck watching the sun go down (isn’t that a
sign of our aging years).
Immediately to our left perched on the branch of a small tree my wife
noticed a bright red bird. Not
being an ornithologist (a big word for a bird watcher) I don’t have a great
knowledge of bird species. So, my
first thought was “Cardinal”, but this bird did not have a crown and its wings
were black….not a Cardinal. Having
seen a couple of Baltimore Orioles (not the baseball players), I thought maybe
this bird was one of them….but no….too red, not really orange.
Somewhere in the recesses of my mind I remembered that there is a bird
called a Scarlet Tanager, a bird
that I had never seen before. So,
my wife pulled out her phone and punched “Scarlet Tanager” into it and sure
enough, a match with our sighted bird.
If you have never seen one, here’s what the internet says about them,
Male Scarlet
Tanagers are among the most blindingly gorgeous birds in an eastern forest in
summer, with blood-red bodies set off by jet-black wings and tail. They’re also
one of the most frustratingly hard to find as they stay high in the forest
canopy singing rich, burry songs. The yellowish-green, dark-winged females can
be even harder to spot until you key in on this bird’s chick-burr call
note. In fall, males trade red feathers for yellow-green and the birds take off
for northern South America.
I felt fortunate to see one of these rarely sighted birds with
its stunning scarlet body set off ebony wings. Joining now in my back field the robins, the bluebirds, the
swallows, the blue jays, the cardinals, the grackles, the finches, the wrens,
the crows, the red winged black birds, the hummingbirds, the balitmore orioles,
the turkeys, the woodpeckers big and small, the hawks and vultures that circle
high in the sky is the scarlet tanager.
What an amazing array of color and sound, colors and sounds that are a
blessing from God.
When I stand up in the pulpit, I see something akin to my back
field. People old and young, tall
and short, frail and brawny, long haired and short, bald and coiffed, stylishly
dressed and casually clothed…each one with a distinctive look, personality, and
sound. What an array! What a blessing!
In a world where birds of a feather flock together in drab unity, I am
blessed to be part of the kaleidoscope of color and sound that God gathers in
his back yard Sunday after Sunday.
Brought together by the grace of God we discover the wonder of God’s
creative love as we chirp, sing, fluff our feathers, and soar in God’s
forgiveness and mercy.
So, whatever kind of bird you are, know this: you are welcome to nest in
God’s Sunday morning back yard.
Through you, God opens our eyes to the grace of God that includes all
birds (even me!), and with you the song we make of God’s love and mercy grows
in beauty and depth that sends hope and peace to every corner of the world.
It was great to see that Scarlet Tanager last week….greater yet will be
to see you on Sunday morning!
Have a great week.
God’s grace and peace, (ggap)
Pastor Jerry
Nuernberger
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