God said, 'Let the waters be alive with a swarm of living creatures, and let birds wing their way above the earth across the vault of heaven.' And so it was. God created great sea-monsters and all the creatures that glide and teem in the waters in their own species, and winged birds in their own species. God saw that it was good. God blessed them, saying, 'Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the waters of the seas; and let the birds multiply on land.' Evening came and morning followed; the fifth day. Genesis 1:20-23
This 12th century mosaic is of the Fifth Day of Creation - God creating the fish and the birds. It is found in the Palatine Chapel in Palermo, Sicily. But why does the Creator-God look like Jesus? We might remember this verse from Saint Paul's Letter to the Colossians: "He is the image of the unseen God, the first-born of all creation, for in him were created all things in heaven and on earth:everything visible and everything invisible, thrones, ruling forces, sovereignties, powers—all things were created through him and for him." Jesus images God.
But one scientific report was released last week attesting that since 1970, the bird population of North America (USA and Canada) has decreased by three billion. That's billion with a B! Birds are disappearing at alarming rates due to climate change, wind turbines, pesticides and habitat destruction. Chop down a forest, and the birds are gone. Cover a field with asphalt, and the birds are gone. Cover a beach with endless hotels and restaurants, and the birds are gone. Spray the nation with lawn, garden and farm-field insect killers, and the birds disappear for lack of food supply.
Birds eat insects. Birds spread seeds. Birds re-generate forests. And just as importantly, birds delight us with their flight, color and song. Some folks will say it doesn't matter that we care about bird numbers, or the numbers of any animals for that matter—"animals don't have souls, and we have to grow the economy." So why the fuss? We love the animals because God imagined them, God created them in their great beauty and variety. We love them because God blessed them, addressed them in creation and sent them out into the world. Indeed, God saw the animals as so important and respect-worthy, they were brought to the man for him to name. God didn't name them; we did. And God gave us that honor and first-task so that we would have an affinity for the animals.
And the sea animals are endangered and disappearing too. When the rivers flood, as they do increasingly, they tear up the soil in the flood plane, and that soil, filled with agricultural pesticides and fertilizers, is carried downstream and dumped into the Gulf of Mexico, causing killer cancers to grow on the dolphins, the fish and sea turtles. And the fertilizers cause algae blooms to take the oxygen out of the water, and the fish suffocate.
God made us to be the caretakers of the world he created. We have failed miserably, leaving behind for our children and grandchildren, a wasted, burned out, lifeless garbage heap of a planet.
For me, to live spiritually, is to allow my breath to be taken away by God's beauty and imagination. Here is a lovely video of the Indigo Bunting, a small bird with a great range: Canada down to Florida and then during the winter, down to the top of South America. Listen to its song and observe carefully that we can see the bird breathing, and even at around 20 seconds we can see the bird's warm breath, a faint cloud of moisture coming from its open beak.
Praise the Lord from the earth,
sea-monsters and all the depths,
fire and hail, snow and mist,
storm-winds that obey his word,
mountains and every hill,
orchards and every cedar,
wild animals and all cattle,
reptiles and winged birds.
Psalm 148:7-10
