St. Francis Preaches to the Birds
"Once near Bevagna in the Spoleto valley St. Francis saw a large flock of birds of various kinds. There were doves and crows, and those popularly called daws. Now Francis was always fervent toward creatures and showed them great tenderness, so as soon as he saw these birds he left his companions and ran eagerly to the birds. And when he got close to them, he greeted them in his usual way. They seemed to be waiting for him; they didn't fly away as he expected them. And so, filled with joy, he begged them to listen to the word of God. Among other things, he said this to the birds: 'My Brother Birds, you should always praise your Creator and love him. He covered you with feathers and gave you wings to fly with and granted you a kingdom of pure air. He cares for you, too, without any worry on your part, though you neither sow nor reap.' At these words, as Francis and his companions later reported, the birds acknowledge his words in a wonderful fashion. They stretched out their necks and flapped their wings, and gazed at him with their beaks open. And St. Francis walked among them in fervor of spirit, brushing their heads and bodies with his tunic, and not of them moved until he made the sign of the cross over them and gave them permission to fly away. And Francis and his companions went on their way, as well, praising and thanking God whom all creatures venerate and humbly acknowledge." --Celano, First Life, 58; St. Bonaventure, Major Life, 12:3
Stories like this is why Francis is the patron saint of animals and ecology. The other day I was sitting here at my computer when I noticed there were different kinds of birds visiting my mini-birdbath outside my window: a couple of smaller birds I usually see, but then two robins, a cardinal, a bluejay arrived, each taking a turn at the 6-inch diameter bath! Then a hummingbird appeared at the geranium outside my window--twice! I'd never seen so much activity before nor since. I felt like Francis must have felt--in awe. As I write this I hear my husband talking to a bird in the morning glory on the front porch asking, "Are you talking to me?" as the bird carries on with his squawking. Yes, I think God's creatures do "talk" to us in various ways as emissaries from God Himself.
"Once near Bevagna in the Spoleto valley St. Francis saw a large flock of birds of various kinds. There were doves and crows, and those popularly called daws. Now Francis was always fervent toward creatures and showed them great tenderness, so as soon as he saw these birds he left his companions and ran eagerly to the birds. And when he got close to them, he greeted them in his usual way. They seemed to be waiting for him; they didn't fly away as he expected them. And so, filled with joy, he begged them to listen to the word of God. Among other things, he said this to the birds: 'My Brother Birds, you should always praise your Creator and love him. He covered you with feathers and gave you wings to fly with and granted you a kingdom of pure air. He cares for you, too, without any worry on your part, though you neither sow nor reap.' At these words, as Francis and his companions later reported, the birds acknowledge his words in a wonderful fashion. They stretched out their necks and flapped their wings, and gazed at him with their beaks open. And St. Francis walked among them in fervor of spirit, brushing their heads and bodies with his tunic, and not of them moved until he made the sign of the cross over them and gave them permission to fly away. And Francis and his companions went on their way, as well, praising and thanking God whom all creatures venerate and humbly acknowledge." --Celano, First Life, 58; St. Bonaventure, Major Life, 12:3
Stories like this is why Francis is the patron saint of animals and ecology. The other day I was sitting here at my computer when I noticed there were different kinds of birds visiting my mini-birdbath outside my window: a couple of smaller birds I usually see, but then two robins, a cardinal, a bluejay arrived, each taking a turn at the 6-inch diameter bath! Then a hummingbird appeared at the geranium outside my window--twice! I'd never seen so much activity before nor since. I felt like Francis must have felt--in awe. As I write this I hear my husband talking to a bird in the morning glory on the front porch asking, "Are you talking to me?" as the bird carries on with his squawking. Yes, I think God's creatures do "talk" to us in various ways as emissaries from God Himself.
I too love to watch the birds in our bird bath & the squirrels are so tame that they come up to us to get dried corn. GOD's creatures are all amazing!
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