A Bird in the Hand

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There she was
On the ground
Hurt
Frightened
Vulnerable.
I took her in my hands
She clung to my finger
Breathing, resting.

There I was
Talking to her
Stroking her breast, her back
Feeling her wings.
Are you hurt? How can I help?

Silence
Presence
Ministering
Being ministered to.
Connection
Compassion
Love.

A while passed.
In humble adoration.
Then she turned her head
Looked me straight in the eye
And flew away.

A bird in the hand…
A word of God.
Broken,
Spoken,
Received.
With Gratitude.


“This is the season for letting our prayer be inspired anew by closeness to nature, which spontaneously leads us to give thanks to God the Creator. Saint Bonaventure, that eloquent witness to Franciscan wisdom, said that creation is the first “book” that God opens before our eyes, so that, marveling at its order, its variety and its beauty, we can come to love and praise its Creator (cf. Breviloquium, II, 5, 11). In this book, every creature becomes for us “a word of God” (cf. Commentarius in Librum Ecclesiastes, I,”
(Pope Francis Message for World Day of Prayer for Care of Creation, 2019)

Gail Jagroop OP
Woodbrook, Trinidad


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