A Virtual Church

Sparrow Song

April 9, 2012

Easter is heralded by all sorts of sounds. Lyre and timbrel sound. Brass trumpet and organ, voice and clapping. But no sound is a glorious this Easter morning as that of the sparrow singing from the top of the telephone pole in the front yard of the river house. Birdsong in trill and chirp, words beyond my understanding make the Easter proclamation: "Christ is risen; Christ is risen indeed." Sparrow song is followed by sparrow dance. White and gray wings flutter. Sparrow flies from pole to crepe myrtle to wire and fig tree. Then back to pole. He knows the goodness of life and sings to the earth a new song. He sings long; he sings loud. Early this morning, as we stood on the banks of the Neuse River at Camp Don Lee with about 200 other folks watching the sun come up in the east over the water, the full moon hung in the western sky over the river. Alpha and Omega right there on the riverbank... the beginning and the end of all that is. And in the middle of it there is Resurrection and the song of Christ alive... a stone rolled back and a life that does not end. Among the crowd were retirees, Boy Scouts directing traffic, fishermen off their boats for a day, waitresses from the local diner. As all the cars drove into the camp we remembered the scene from Field of Dreams and thought of the line, "If you build it, they will come." Why were they coming? The fellowship of the community and the hot breakfast of pancakes and biscuits may have been part of the draw. These people from the churches in Arapahoe have known loss this year. Hurricane Irene tore through this county with a vengeance, leaving many without homes and without work. The group huddled in morning cold were gathered in hope, seeking the reminder of grace, love, and life eternal. Christ does not disappoint. It's Easter, the time when we know again the story, the song the sparrow sings. On this morning all creation shouts the Good News. If I can but rest in the song, open to the sun and moon that move across the sky in such trust, if I can but put aside my own petty bickerings and see the promise around me that is Easter, perhaps my life's song will be sweeter, more convincing. Perhaps the world can be healed because it is Easter. Starting with the sparrow song, Risen Christ, raise this world to joy. Raise this world to peace and justice. Right outside my window, let it be. Amen.

---