An old Christian legend tells of a robin who takes pity on the Crucified Christ and begins to gently pluck thorns from his sacred crown. In the process, the Lord’s blood stains the bird’s breast, thus causing all robins to turn red. Other legends see the robin as a symbol of joy, devotion, renewal, good fortune, and even a peaceful passing from this life. The robin is not, in fact, ever mentioned in the scriptures. And yet this common bird, which can nest happily almost anywhere, seems to sing of God’s love and care for all creatures.

For the past few weeks, I have been blessed to know and love a family of robins that made their home in a large twig wreath on the side of a garden shed beside my hermitage in rural Maine. When I first saw the nest with its four bright blue eggs, I could think only of the mess that would soon be made. I also worried that the nest, which can be seen so clearly from the house, could also be spotted by any one of the passing predators that live in these parts.

Last weekend, I arrived home to find that the eggs had hatched. The chicks huddled so closely together that it was impossible to determine whether they were alive or not. But before I finished walking the dogs and unpacking the truck, Brother and Sister Robin were chirping loudly and watching me from a nearby oak tree. These devoted parents were protecting their little ones and could not care less about their landlord’s curiosity. So with wonder and awe, I observed from a distance.

Since then, I have been an eyewitness to a series of small but breathtaking miracles. For example, who knew that my lawn and garden were home to so many worms?! Both of the robin parents are expert hunter-gatherers and they deliver worm after worm to the chicks, who wait with their open beaks pointed toward the heavens in eager anticipation of the next meal. In just one week, the baby robins have grown so much that they are now wrestling with each other for prime place in the nest!

A local bird expert says that robins can recognize humans by face, voice, routine, and bodily movements. When I leave the hermitage to walk the dogs, work in the garden, or just sit outside with a good book, I greet the robins with a poor impersonation of Saint Francis of Assisi. Brother and Sister Robin perch on either end of the house’s roofline and watch in worried silence. If I am outside long enough, they begin to sing and go about their business. When I go back inside, they fly directly to the nest and dote on their chicks. They know me. I love knowing them. And together, God’s creatures, both great and small, live together in mutual respect and admiration. Imagine that!

In another week or so, the little robins will jump the nest, spread their wings, and fly away. As someone who is not so good with goodbyes, I am already wistful about their leaving. I am already worried about their safety. I am already hoping that they will find mates who will want to build a nest and begin a family in the wreath on the shed. And I am already praying for the grace to remember these blissful and bittersweet moments that are such an unexpected blessing.

Eight hundred years ago, Saint Francis wrote the Canticle of the Creatures (see below), a prayer of praise and thanksgiving to God for all created things. Oddly enough, Francis, who so famously preached to the birds, did not include them in his canticle. So, with deepest affection and humility, I add one simple verse: “Praise be to you, my Lord, for our brother and sister robins, who built a home for their family at the little hermitage on the hill. May you bless and protect these small ones who fill our lives with beautiful songs of love and peace. Amen! Amen!”

Brother Patrick Garvey
Associate Minister & Diocesan Hermit
Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport
Contact: brpatrick@ccgronline.com

CCGR Weekly Newsletter (6-23-24)
Bringing Home the Word (6-23-24)
The Kids Bulletin (6-23-24)

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Call to Prayer
Canticle of the Creatures

By Saint Francis of Assisi