Spring is definitely in the air, so this week I took a walk across Port Meadow. As I set off on my journey I was wondering if I would hear God’s voice like Samuel in the night or whether God might speak to me through nature. For instance, through bird song, which at the beginning of spring is like a musical symphony. The Canadian geese, who fly in pairs, give out a deep-throated call, a sound that matches their strong wings and low flight as they glide over the waters of the meadow. The yellow-legged seagulls, optimistically perched on the edge of the water picking at worms, squawk at a high pitch. Like an orchestra, I heard the individual instruments/tweets, but then all the bird's song comes together to make a collective musical chorus with cranes, starlings, sandpipers, mallards and many more. The birds became my companions on this journey and their song my song during the walk. Also, the presence of birds of the air helped me to celebrate, in the moment, the joy of being part of a wider ecosystem, of being in the present and not worrying about the future. In times of uncertainty, it was good to remember the words of Jesus about the birds of the air not worrying about their future. (Matthew 6: 26-34). Also the birds’ delight in the dawning of spring brought gladness to me, and I felt elated by the interconnectedness and unity of nature – a oneness. It's amazing how peaceful and soothing a walk can be. It may also help us be reminded of Pope Francis words in his letter Laudato Si' “The Father is the ultimate source of everything, the loving and self-communicating foundation of all that exists”. Enjoy the spring. Amen.

Associate Priest

The Revd Charlotte Bannister-Parker