There are a number of fables starring a fox and a hen. Though the fox is known as a sly trickster, in each story ultimately the hen out-tricks the fox and manages to get to safety, away from the fox’s sharp teeth and hungry belly.
In one such fable, the sun is setting as a hen is perched in a tree, settling in for the night. From the surrounding forest, a cunning fox approaches. “Oh, hen,” calls the fox joyfully, “have you heard the wonderful news?” “Oh?” replies the hen, “news? No, what news is that?” “Oh, just that your family and mine and all the creatures of the forest have come to an agreement to set aside our differences and become friends, now and forever! The forest will be ruled by love and harmony! Isn’t it wonderful? Come down from there so we can celebrate such a marvelous occasion!”
“Yes, wonderful news,” said the hen absently, looking off into the distance. “What’s that?” said the fox. “Do you see something?” “Yes, actually,” replied the hen, “it looks like some dogs are coming…they must have heard the good news and…” But the fox didn’t wait to hear more, and he began to dart away. “Wait!” called the hen, “why are you running? The dogs are our friends now!” “Of course,” said the fox, “but they might not have heard the news yet. Besides, I have a very important errand that almost slipped my mind.” The fox bounded away, and the hen smiled as she nestled into the branches and fell asleep, for she had outwitted a very crafty enemy.
Today’s Gospel reading features another story about a fox and a hen. Some Pharisees come to warn Jesus to get away from Jerusalem, because Herod wants to kill him. Jesus responds, “Go and tell that fox that I’m too busy doing my work to worry about him.” Casting out demons, healing, welcoming, sharing the good news – this ministry takes priority for Jesus. Then, turning to address Jerusalem and her people, Jesus paints the picture of God as a mother hen trying to gather her brood together into a place of protection and refuge under her wings.
The characters may be the same as the ones in the fable, but in this story, rather than avoiding danger and destruction through cunning or otherwise, the hen willingly accepts danger and even death out of love for those she is protecting. These Pharisees are not the first to warn Jesus away from the road ahead of him. Jesus’ own disciples try to convince him that there certainly must be better options than humiliation and death on a cross.
But Jesus’ face is set toward Jerusalem, and it is with great courage that he continues on the way, knowing full well the pain and agony and death that await him. On the cross, Jesus stretches out his arms to embrace the whole world, the mother hen spreading her wings to shelter her chicks. On the cross, Jesus draws all people to himself, showing the depth of God’s love for all creation.
Do you find this image of a mother hen gathering her chicks to be a comforting one? There are times we all need comfort and protection, times that we all need a place of refuge. Perhaps there are times that things at work or school just feel overwhelming and all you want to do is hide under your desk for a moment or forever. Or maybe you’re a parent, and your kids’ demands and all their activities leave you feeling ragged and if you could have just one second alone maybe you could catch your breath.
Maybe there are too many decisions to make, too many bills to pay, too much illness, too much grief, too much depression, too many activities to juggle. Too much violence in places that should be sacred and peaceful. Too much division and disagreement within families and communities. What do we do when it all seems like too much? Where do we turn when we need a place of refuge and rest?
Perhaps God is not the first thought we have when seeking out a place of refuge. Perhaps we feel too alone, perhaps it seems like God has failed us in the past. Maybe we are angry with God, or feel too lost, or perhaps we think that God could not possibly want to provide a place of refuge for us after all we’ve done. Whatever the reason may be, when the mother hen stretches out her wings to gather her brood under them, we are not willing. Confused, hurt, angry, lost we run away, seeking out some other source of comfort and peace.
Ultimately, the other places we go for refuge will fail us or fall short. Eventually, the weather will be too cold to distract ourselves in the garden or workshop, the water in the shower will turn icy, the kids will find us hiding in bed, the phone will keep ringing, the movie will end, the money will run out, our friends will go home.
But even when it seems that we are alone, God never abandons us. The cross reminds us of the depth of God’s love for us, even when we are unlovable. The cross reminds us that God meets us in our weakness and our suffering and draws us close when we are left with nothing else. It is this presence that strengthens us. In the words of the psalmist, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” When it all seems like too much, when we are in need of refuge and rest, God wraps us in grace and assures us that we do not face our trials alone.
Like a mother hen gathers her brood under her wings, so too does God gather us together, providing comfort and refuge and peace. There is no where we can go that is too far from God’s reach, because God promises to hold us close in life and in death. Thanks be to God. Amen.
In one such fable, the sun is setting as a hen is perched in a tree, settling in for the night. From the surrounding forest, a cunning fox approaches. “Oh, hen,” calls the fox joyfully, “have you heard the wonderful news?” “Oh?” replies the hen, “news? No, what news is that?” “Oh, just that your family and mine and all the creatures of the forest have come to an agreement to set aside our differences and become friends, now and forever! The forest will be ruled by love and harmony! Isn’t it wonderful? Come down from there so we can celebrate such a marvelous occasion!”
“Yes, wonderful news,” said the hen absently, looking off into the distance. “What’s that?” said the fox. “Do you see something?” “Yes, actually,” replied the hen, “it looks like some dogs are coming…they must have heard the good news and…” But the fox didn’t wait to hear more, and he began to dart away. “Wait!” called the hen, “why are you running? The dogs are our friends now!” “Of course,” said the fox, “but they might not have heard the news yet. Besides, I have a very important errand that almost slipped my mind.” The fox bounded away, and the hen smiled as she nestled into the branches and fell asleep, for she had outwitted a very crafty enemy.
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| Photo by K Kannan on Unsplash |
Today’s Gospel reading features another story about a fox and a hen. Some Pharisees come to warn Jesus to get away from Jerusalem, because Herod wants to kill him. Jesus responds, “Go and tell that fox that I’m too busy doing my work to worry about him.” Casting out demons, healing, welcoming, sharing the good news – this ministry takes priority for Jesus. Then, turning to address Jerusalem and her people, Jesus paints the picture of God as a mother hen trying to gather her brood together into a place of protection and refuge under her wings.
The characters may be the same as the ones in the fable, but in this story, rather than avoiding danger and destruction through cunning or otherwise, the hen willingly accepts danger and even death out of love for those she is protecting. These Pharisees are not the first to warn Jesus away from the road ahead of him. Jesus’ own disciples try to convince him that there certainly must be better options than humiliation and death on a cross.
But Jesus’ face is set toward Jerusalem, and it is with great courage that he continues on the way, knowing full well the pain and agony and death that await him. On the cross, Jesus stretches out his arms to embrace the whole world, the mother hen spreading her wings to shelter her chicks. On the cross, Jesus draws all people to himself, showing the depth of God’s love for all creation.
Do you find this image of a mother hen gathering her chicks to be a comforting one? There are times we all need comfort and protection, times that we all need a place of refuge. Perhaps there are times that things at work or school just feel overwhelming and all you want to do is hide under your desk for a moment or forever. Or maybe you’re a parent, and your kids’ demands and all their activities leave you feeling ragged and if you could have just one second alone maybe you could catch your breath.
Maybe there are too many decisions to make, too many bills to pay, too much illness, too much grief, too much depression, too many activities to juggle. Too much violence in places that should be sacred and peaceful. Too much division and disagreement within families and communities. What do we do when it all seems like too much? Where do we turn when we need a place of refuge and rest?
Perhaps God is not the first thought we have when seeking out a place of refuge. Perhaps we feel too alone, perhaps it seems like God has failed us in the past. Maybe we are angry with God, or feel too lost, or perhaps we think that God could not possibly want to provide a place of refuge for us after all we’ve done. Whatever the reason may be, when the mother hen stretches out her wings to gather her brood under them, we are not willing. Confused, hurt, angry, lost we run away, seeking out some other source of comfort and peace.
Ultimately, the other places we go for refuge will fail us or fall short. Eventually, the weather will be too cold to distract ourselves in the garden or workshop, the water in the shower will turn icy, the kids will find us hiding in bed, the phone will keep ringing, the movie will end, the money will run out, our friends will go home.
But even when it seems that we are alone, God never abandons us. The cross reminds us of the depth of God’s love for us, even when we are unlovable. The cross reminds us that God meets us in our weakness and our suffering and draws us close when we are left with nothing else. It is this presence that strengthens us. In the words of the psalmist, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” When it all seems like too much, when we are in need of refuge and rest, God wraps us in grace and assures us that we do not face our trials alone.
Like a mother hen gathers her brood under her wings, so too does God gather us together, providing comfort and refuge and peace. There is no where we can go that is too far from God’s reach, because God promises to hold us close in life and in death. Thanks be to God. Amen.
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