Talk about Hitchcock's 'Birds', talk about suspicion towards owls, talk about hatred towards vultures and other species of birds, popular in our fears and resentments...
Yet this is not the case in Catholic world of symbols and meanings... I suspect our Lord has a very soft spot for birds and flowers in His Sacred Heart. Remember what He said?
"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day." (Mt 6:25-34)
My ordination class, dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi at the beginning of our studies in the major seminary in Kraków, has special place for sacred birds in our hearts. When we were getting closer to diaconate in 1987, as it was a custom in our seminary, the need for a design of our class stole has come up. We asked two of our colleagues to prepare a design which will display our devotion to Patron Saint of our class and to the Catholic Symbolism. They did a splendid job. Our stole combines St. Francis of Assisi famous cross on the 'heart side' ie upper left side of the stole; and Pelikan bird feeding its young with its blood...
I still have this stole with me... we wore it for the first time on May 8, 1987, on the day of our diaconate in Kraków's cathedral, then (after using it for various occasions) for the second time officially as a class on the day of our priestly ordination in the same cathedral on May 22, 1988... I took this stole with me to Africa and whenever I travel to Europe I pack it also. This is a visible sign of unity with my class, of my sacramental bond with my 'brothers-in-arms' we have studied together for six years first, then were ordained on the same day in 1987 and in 1988 and still keep together meeting every year for the Patron Saint feast or for ordination anniversary... I love my stole...
The stole design as seen on the fragment of the picture of my life
painted by Florian Ludovick, a Tanzanian artist and my friend
It is the same in my life... spent and burnt out... falling down, failing, through mistakes and wrong turns... yet resurrecting through hope fed by Christ's mercy, understanding and patience... Christ's sympathy and trust... Christ's open Heart, giving me another chance while turned into ashes by my own merit and giving me life back for an umpteenth time in the Reconciliation till the last breath comes...
Till the chicken in me dies eventually forever and turns into an eagle which will fly towards the Eternal Sun and on its final voyage will melt in it in perfect union of immortal life...
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