The birds of Sunbird family are the smallest of birds that visit our garden on most days although their visits are less frequent during the hot days. They visit the flowers for nectar. Their arrivals and departures are quiet without bird calls. They feed quickly and fly out to the next station. That is the usual pattern. The above Loten's sunbird is iridescent and attractively colourful with an elegant look and behaviour!
At another corner of the garden, a female Purple-rumped Sunbird was gathering its nectar !
The flowers received an adorable look with the colourful presence of the Sunbirds. In fact, the above flowers get noticed even more, when Sunbirds come to feed nectar.
It is the nectar that brings the sunbirds to the flowers. The Sunbirds pollinate the flowers to continue the life beyond ! The small Sunbirds sustain the plant life by visiting the flowers.
In the book, The Time is Now-a call to uncommon courage, Joan Chittister, begins the book, with questions: 'How do we really get out of the swamp we're in. What else are required, to fix this muddled world?'
In the chapter on, A word about prophets, Joan asks: "The only question is, Will we take up what we know is our moral and spiritual responsibility: to make the world a better place for all, to bring to life the fullness of creation for all? To help bring about equality, safety, security, and compassion for all? That is where the prophets come in. The prophet is the person who says no to everything that is not of God.
No to the abuse of women
No to the rejection of the stranger.
No to crimes against immigrants.
No to the rape of trees.
No to the pollution of the skies.
No to the poisoning of oceans.
No to the despicable destruction of humankind for the sake of more wealth, more power, more control for a few.
No to death.....
The prophet is a one who speaks the truth to a culture of lies.
And while saying no, the prophet also says yes.
Yes to equal rights for all.
Yes to alleviating suffering.
Yes to embracing the different.
Yes to who God made you.
Yes to life.
This book is about prophetic spirituality...
It is the spirituality of awareness, of choice, of risk, of transformation. It is about the embrace of life, the pursuit of wholeness, the acceptance of others, the call to co-creation" ( quote ends).
Yes, the Sunbirds were engaged in sustaining the plant life from which they received their nectar!
This is in contrast to the current painful pursuit of war, destruction and attempting to subdue others who are different from us. We need political leaders and rulers of nations who are bathed in prophetic spirituality!
I was reminded while watching the Sunbirds, how they continue the cycle of receiving and giving to sustain the garden life, a prophetic mission indeed !
M.C.Mathew (text and photo)
