Rock Pigeon : Racing Home
This is a Rock Pigeon. I’d seen thousands, even before noticing birds, but this one struck me as just a bit different. Its coloration, its shape, maybe even just the way that it held itself. And then I looked more closely and saw the band around its ankle. At that point I realized it not only was beautiful and different - but it was also lost. This was a trained racing pigeon, which uses its phenomenal navigational abilities to compete over stunning distances. Despite all its natural abilities, despite all its training, this particular bird had lost its way. It was in a place it didn’t belong. It wasn’t necessarily in jeopardy, but this locale was ill-suited for it. Fortunately I was able to contact the owner and arrange for him to come find his bird.
The Bible is full of stories of people who are physically lost and in the wrong place. We all know the story of Jonah and the whale. How’s that for a not-so-gentle nudge to move back in the right direction? Entire books of Jewish humor could be compiled just from the jokes about the Israelites’ wandering in the desert for 40 years. And the whole concept of exile, arguably beginning with Adam and Eve’s expulsion, but certainly extending from the Babylonian captivity, speaks to the notion of displacement, of being taken away from where one actually belongs. Each of these “lost stories” has critical distinguishing features, but in common, they all resonate with us, even today. All of us know the anxiety of being in the wrong place.
In today’s world, with a GPS receiver in every pocket, we are rarely physically lost. Sadly, though, no satellite can compensate for a lack of spiritual direction. All of us at times question our direction and wonder about our path. And at very low ebbs of social development, it’s easy to feel that even society writ large is on the wrong track. And. And I want to recall our attention to the help that is available and how we can get “un-lost.” Our tradition in so many ways offers guidance and polestars from which we can orient. And perhaps most importantly, there is a consistent calling, an invitation - loving and welcoming - to return to where we belong. With just a bit of help, the Pigeon got home. With just a bit of help, we can too.