Cardinals for Hope in a Weary World

Yesterday we had our first accumulation of snow and even that wasn't significant. It could be gone by tomorrow. We love the look of our yard and trees as they adorned by snow. And the cardinals at our feeders are startlingly beautiful in contrast, and so hopeful. 

Recently I mentioned the Advent devotional resource called The Dawn Chorus and I was enchanted by the suggestions for the week of the season often associated with hope. They connect it with cardinals and note that a gathering of cardinals, which happens more in winter when they are less territorial, is sometimes called a "radiance." 

I don't know about you but I could do with some radiance about now. Here are a few paragraphs from this reflection: 

A BIRD FOR YOUR TREE 

Cut out the cardinal of hope (in the “Ornaments” collection included with this devotional), decorate it with live greens and twigs, write the word “HOPE” on it in big bold letters, and put it up on your Christmas tree (or in some other prominent spot) as you pray this prayer: 

God of light and wings, we pray for everyone who feels discouraged. Help us become cardinals of hope for a weary world. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

SING “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” “Morning Has Broken” 

• In fact, female cardinals sing more elaborate songs than males do – up to two dozen different tunes! The female typically sings to signal the male to bring food to the nestlings; and sometimes male and female cardinals sing duets. • During the winter months, cardinals forgo their territorial ways in order to flock together, since a group looking for food collectively is more successful than a single cardinal or pair. These flocks are called a college, a radiance, or a Vatican of cardinals. 

We can choose to be cardinals of hope for a weary world. 

These words prompted me to look up to the framed needlework on the wall above my computer desk (see below) created by a parishioner in Sudbury years ago. As I've shared before, even though Vicki lived with a debilitating illness which presented at a relatively young age she gave me this for Christmas one year. 

I appreciate that female cardinals have elaborate songs and this brings to mind that we will soon sing a Christmas carol which speaks of radiance and Christ as God's pure light:

3 Silent night! Holy night!

Son of God, love's pure light

radiant beams from thy holy face,

with the dawn of redeeming grace,

Jesus, Lord, at thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.