A Monarch Butterfly Templum

Jesus bids us shine with a clear pure light

like a little candle burning in the night:

in this world of darkness so we must shine --

you in your small corner, and I in mine. 

templum an open space for augural observation; open, clear, broad space

a place of divine worship, sanctuary, shrine, temple 

 Good friends are part of a dedicated group of volunteers who help maintain and sustain the Samuel Wilmot Nature Area on the shore of Lake Ontario near Newcastle, Ontario. One of the annual projects is tagging Monarch butterflies staging on the shore before crossing this vast body of water. Yesterday we became part of the cheerful throng of citizen scientists who headed into the goldenrod to net Monarchs and return to the tagging stations. 

The science part involves carefully extricating the butterfly from the net, measuring the length, determining gender. applying the tiny tag, and recording this information along with the identification  number. The number means that if a butterfly is captured again enroute it can be tracked in a database. 

Yesterday was encouraging regarding the Monarchs. These living stained glass windows were everywhere and for the first time in a decade all 500 tags were applied. We managed to capture 15 of them for initial tagging along with two already marked. We have seen lots of Monarchs as we've paddled recently and even in our backyard. 

In the midst of overwhelmingly lousy environmental news is was encouraging that so many of these butterflies were embarking on their perilous journey to the mountains of Mexico for Winter roosting. And it was wonderful that scores of people showed up to take part in this important work. Approximately 250,000 tags are distributed across North America each year and we were doing our part. There were families with very young children, and enthusiastic teens, and earnest university students. There were a fair number of seniors as well and a variety of colours of skin. 

Because of a congregation of butterflies strangers became a pop-up congregation. There was lots of good natured conversation and "stranger danger" was given an amnesty by parents for a couple of hours. We were given the opportunity to release the butterflies we'd captured and a couple of them I put on the hands of children watching the procedure. 

Needless to say, we felt that the uplift of this experience was holy in this "templum" a sacred space. We certainly weren't worshipping the Monarchs but we felt the awe of both Creation and Creator. All of us were letting our light shine.