Clipped

When Adam and Eve committed Original Sin, they – and all of us – effectively had their wings clipped.

The Good Shepherd (Giclee Print)

We have a pet parakeet.  He is a very beautiful bird.  He was hand reared and this means that he has been taught to come in and out of the cage and to play around the house.  He is a very clever bird…  He mimics many sounds and I am told that one day he will be able to talk.  In order to keep this bird from flying away from home – because birds (like cats) are not in their nature loyal creatures – one of his wings is clipped.  This means that he cannot get the right balance if he wants to fly and instead of lifting off the ground when he tries to fly, he scoots along low to the ground and in a lopsided fashion, favouring the side without the wing.

I have been thinking about this bird as I have been watching him over the last few weeks.  You see, this little bird reminds me very much of me – and more specifically – of my relationship with God.

When Adam and Eve committed Original Sin, they – and all of us – effectively had their wings clipped.  Prior to the sin in the Garden of Eden, the first humans were without sin and were able to fly wherever they wanted – so to speak.  They had a direct and physical relationship with God and were able to see Him in this physical world.  They knew the infinitely love of God.  And then came the fall…  After the fall – the terrible sin of pride and disobedience – Adam and Eve were no longer living without pain or suffering.  They did not experience the direct presence with God.  They were cast out.  And that is really just like clipping the wing of a bird.  You see, just as the bird continues to fly in his own way, we humans can still communicate with God in our own way after the fall of humanity, but just as the bird is lopsided and cannot gain the right height to soar in the sky, neither can we communicate in our prayers the way that God originally intended.  No wonder prayer is so hard for me sometimes…

And my bird – who I love very much – is not loyal to me.  If his wings were unclipped, he would have no hesitation in flying away.  Perhaps he would not do this out of hatred.  Perhaps he would not do this out of disrespect.  Perhaps he would not even disobey my rule of staying with us and staying safe.  Perhaps he would fly away out of ignorance instead.  But, if he flew away, he would be unsafe and alone.  I would not be able to feed him his favourite treats.  I would not be able to keep him warm and safe.  I would not be able to protect him from predators.  He might feel free though.  After all, he would be able to soar through the sky – for a while at least…

And I have been thinking about that today – for that is exactly like me.  I am like my bird in my relationship with God.   I am not loyal.  I fly away from Him and His teachings.  And when I do, I do so often through ignorance or a complete lack of care of Him or His sacrifice for me – not always through intentional hatred or disrespect or disobedience (though that is what my actions show).  And like my pet parakeet, I might feel good soaring through the air for a while, but what will I do when it comes time to nest?  How do I care for myself when I have been cared for by my Beloved for so long that I would not even know what to do?

And I have been thinking about this today, as I have been thinking about the Good Shepherd.  For it seems to me that God Himself is not only the Good Shepherd, but the Good everything.  And just as a sheep cannot survive on its own in the wild, neither can my parakeet, and neither can I.  And perhaps, if I could just receive the Grace to surrender my own will to the Holy Will of God, then maybe – just maybe I will receive rewards that I could not even imagine right now, as I sit here inside my cage…

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.