Happy Lutheran

“Something looks back from the trees, and knows me for who I am.” Jane Hirschfield

I finally saw him.

For months, I have heard the Great Horned Owls that live in the trees near my house. Almost every day, every evening and every early morning, I hear the pair of them [Great Horned Owls are monogamous and pairs stay together for many years] hooting back and forth–their hooting practices are a way that they affirm both their bond and their territory. But, until Saturday morning, I had never seen them.

But finally, Saturday morning, when I was heading out to my yoga class, I heard one of the owls hooting so close, I knew he had to be in the trees right in our yard. I walked around, following the sound of his voice, and there he was. He looked at me, I looked at him; then, on silent wings, he flew away to another tree. I was elated.

I didn’t get the picture then–it was too dark; the picture above is from Saturday night, when I heard him again as I was walking. This time, I saw him with just enough light to snap a blurry picture.

There is something so amazing about the creatures we catch only in glimpses; but then again, there is something amazing about all the creatures we share a world with–each one of them is a wonder.

Thinking about my owl reminded me of the quotes that I read each day in my Advent devotional, All Creation Waits, each of which affirms the presence of God in animals, and our deep spiritual connection with them. I thought I would share these quotes here. Each one of them is lovely and profound; I hope you enjoy them, too, as you celebrate the animals that live in, with, and around you.

“Every single creature is full of God and is a book about God. Every creature is a word of God. If I spent enough time with the tiniest creature – – even a caterpillar – – I would never have to prepare a sermon. So full of God is every creature.” Meister Eckhart

“The beginning of our happiness lies in the understanding that life without wonder is not worth living. What we lack is not a will to believe, but a will to wonder.” Abraham Joshua Heschel

“But nothing you ever understand will be sweeter, or more binding, than this deepest affinity between your eyes and the world.” Mary Oliver

“In [birds] is poetry, energy, joy; in them is life, pure and untrammeled, unadulterated and holy.” Brian Doyle

“Every creature is a glittering, glistening mirror of divinity.” St. Hildegard of Bingen

“If you wish to know the creator, come to know [God’s] creatures.” Saint Columban

“The smallest creature is important in the sight of God…Nothing that is important to God can be treated by us without the greatest respect.” Thomas Merton

“Life is this simple: we are living in a world that is absolutely transparent, and the divine is shining through it all the time. This is not just a nice story or fable, it is true…If you can see that [rabbits] are rabbits, you suddenly see that they are transparent, and that the rabbitness of God is shining through, in all these darn rabbits.” Thomas Merton

“The whole creation cries to us, penetratingly, with a great cry, about the existence and the beauty and the love of God…In all of nature, we find God’s initials and all of God’s creatures are God’s love letters to us.” Ernesto Cardenal.

“All creatures are like syllables in a song which God is singing. Everything that is, is just a little syllable in this song which God is continually singing.” Thomas Merton.

“If you love it enough, anything will talk to you.” George Washington Carver.

“The day of my spiritual awakening was the day I saw, and knew I saw, all things in God and God in all things.” Mechthild of Magdeburg

“Look at the animals roaming in the forest: God’s spirit dwells within them. Look at the birds flying across the sky: God’s spirit dwells within them. Look at the tiny insects, crawling in the grass: God’s spirit dwells within them…The presence of God’s spirit in all living things is what makes them beautiful; and if we look with God’s eyes, nothing on the earth is ugly.” Pelagius.

“As humans allow themselves to be fascinated by the other creatures…we become convinced that in some amazing way, they are essential to us. We can become amazed by how essential they are for our zest, our sense of well-being or happiness…If we would attend to them, we would see their colossal grandeur.” Brian Swimme

“What is a merciful heart? It is a heart on fire for the whole of creation, for humanity, for the birds, for the animals…Such a person prays for the family of reptiles because of the great compassion that burns without measure in a heart that is in the likeness of God.” Saint Isaac the Syrian

Love all God’s creation, the whole and every grain of sand in it. Love every leaf, every ray of light. Love the animals, love the plants, love everything. If you love everything, you will perceive the divine mystery in things.” Fyodor Dostoyevsky

“The fullness of joy is to behold God in all.” Julian of Norwich

“God is equally near in all creatures.” Meister Eckhart

“Each and every creature is a unique word of God, with its own message, its own metaphor, its own energetic style, its own way of showing forth goodness, beauty, and participation in the great mystery. Each creature has its own glow and its own unique glory.” Richard Rohr

“If your heart were right, then every created thing would be a mirror of life for you and a book of holy teaching, for there is no creature so small and worthless that it does not show forth the goodness of God.” Thomas à Kempis

“Every visible and invisible creature can be called a theophany, that is, a divine appearance.” Johannes Scotus Eriugena

“Absolutely unmixed attention is prayer.” Simone Weil