大象传媒

Good morning.听 During this week I鈥檝e been reflecting on Jesus' simple yet profound image of lilies and birds, which can become our teachers in the school of life if we learn how to see them differently.听 It鈥檚 our unique capacity in the natural world to be able to reflect on and give voice to the things we see.听 Human beings alone can interpret, analyse, praise and celebrate the world around us.听 And yet it鈥檚 often this very capacity that alienates us from the simplicity of the true nature of life. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

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If we are overly concerned with finding the perfect simile to describe the wonder of a tree or the thrill of a bird's acrobatics, we may have stopped ourselves from simply enjoying and appreciating听 what is right there in front of us.听 I once decided to take a photograph of a hippo leaping out of the water while I was working in Ethiopia.听 As a result, I didn't really see this amazing event and all the photo shows is the dying moment of a mighty splash.听

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So the final lesson I want to share from the birds and lilies of Jesus' parable is the lesson of the value of silence and stillness.听 Sometimes, it鈥檚 right to set aside our commentary, our analysis, our urge to digitise our memories and simply see what is there.听 Perhaps we can most truly meet the moment only in silence.

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God of all creation,

we rejoice in our gift of speech

and in our ability to shape our experiences through memory and words.

May your creation teach us when to set aside this gift

in favour of the greater gift of silent adoration, wonder and thanks.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.听 Amen.