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| Image by Silver Leapers |
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Snowy Owls
A GREETING
Because you are my rock, my fortress, and for the sake of your Name, lead me, guide me!
(Psalm 31:3)
A READING
For God says: “I will rescue you from the snare, and shield you from poisoned arrows. I will cover you with my pinions; under my wings you will take refuge; my faithfulness will shield you. You have no need to fear the prowlers of the night or the arrow that flies by day, the plague that lurks in the shadows or the scourge that stalks at noon. Because you have made me your refuge and have me as your stronghold, no evil will befall you, and no disaster will come near your tent.
(Psalm 91:2-6; 9-10)
MUSIC
A MEDITATIVE VERSE
I am like an owl of the wilderness, like a little owl of the waste places.
I lie awake; I am like a lonely bird on the housetop.
(Psalm 102:6-7 NRSVUE)
A POEM
Coming down
out of the freezing sky
with its depths of light,
like an angel,
or a buddha with wings,
it was beautiful
and accurate,
striking the snow and whatever was there
with a force that left the imprint
of the tips of its wings —
five feet apart — and the grabbing
thrust of its feet,
and the indentation of what had been running
through the white valleys
of the snow —
and then it rose, gracefully,
and flew back to the frozen marshes,
to lurk there,
like a little lighthouse.
- from "White Owl Flies into and out of the Field,"
by Mary Oliver
VERSE OF THE DAY
Those who wait for God, find a renewed power:
they soar on eagles’ wings.
(Isaiah 40:31)
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| "The Enchanted Owl" by Kenojuak Ashevak |
In today’s reading, God’s reassuring protection is like the wings of a large bird, an image that Jesus echoes when he stands looking over Jerusalem and compares himself to a mother hen aching for her brood (Luke 13). The longing of Jesus is the same as that of the Psalmist — that we may be protected from the “prowlers of the night”, which we can hear as not only that which threatens our wellbeing, but the wellbeing of our relationship with God.
But what if we are the "prowlers", setting the snares, knowingly or not? Raptors and birds of prey are considered by scientists as an indicator of the overall ecological health of environments; they bear the brunt of changes that affect habitats and the food chain. Right now, some species of owl, including the snowy owl, are considered "threatened" in Canada and have been identified as “vulnerable” worldwide, a categorization that indicates that their numbers are declining. Increased rainfall and general warming in the Arctic (the breeding ground of the snowy owl) have meant a flooding of nests and a starvation of lemmings, a principal source of food for growing owls.
Over the course of human history, birds of prey and particularly raptors, have been the subject of our projected imagination, embodying that which we cherish or deeply fear. Raptors have an uneasy place in scripture too: while the image of "eagle’s wings" is comforting, most references to them are less so. The owl appears in scripture in association with deep loss, sorrow, desolation and solitude (Isaiah 34:15; Zephaniah 2:14). Banished as unclean for eating by Leviticus 11, it became a frequenter of the wastelands. Because of its banished status and haunting cry, it was associated with omens and negative spirits by other non-Jewish religions and cultures.
The owl has always been a respected and revered symbol of wisdom in Indigenous knowledge-keeping. Owls are spirit guides, with the capacity to see in the dark, revealing knowledge that is hidden and providing companionship through transition and change. How can we be inspired by that wisdom to improve the future of creatures who were made alongside us? What needs to change in our way of thinking, so that animals that are ‘vulnerable’ can return to a place of thriving, abundant life?
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This whimsically instructive video made by the American broadcaster NPR in 2016 tracks one man's attempt to find a tagged owl according to its GPS locations. Project Snowstorm, still active today, is a citizen science-led initiative that observes and documents the flight patterns of tagged snowy owls while they are south, while also helping to relocate owls who are hanging out by dangerous airports. Baltimore, the snowy owl reatured in the video, was one of their tagged owls. At the time, the snowy owl was experiencing an irruption -- a higher than usual population. Ten years later, they are officially "threatened." Read more here.
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Scripture passages are taken from The Inclusive Bible.
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LC† The Winged Word is a devotional series of Lutherans Connect, supported by the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and the Centre for Spirituality and Media at Martin Luther University College. To receive the devotions by email, write to lutheransconnect@gmail.com. The devotional pages are written and curated by Deacon Sherry Coman, with support and input from Pastor Steve Hoffard, Catherine Evenden and Henriette Thompson. Join us on Facebook. Lutherans Connect invites you to make a donation to the Ministry by going to this link on the website of the ELCIC Eastern Synod and selecting "Lutherans Connect Devotionals" under "Fund". Devotions are always freely offered, however your donations help support the ongoing work.
Thank you and peace be with you!