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REFLECTION

The theme for our reflection is birds. A bird is a warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrate animal distinguished by the possession of feathers, wings, a beak, and typically by being able to fly. After several days in the ark, Noah needed to know if the water had subsided. He therefore employed the services of birds in the ark. Human beings have the natural ability to do  many things such as running and swimming for short and long distances buy what we cannot do is to physically fly with our arms and legs. It was for this reason “He waited another seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark. And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. Then he waited another seven days and sent forth the dove, and she did not return to him anymore.” (Genesis 8:10-12)

If Noah were in our technologically advanced world he would have used a drone to serve as a bird’s eye-view in finding out whether or not “…the waters were still on the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis 8:9). The fact however remains that before the invention of drones, there were birds. Birds have life in them but drones have batteries. Birds could perhaps fly higher beyond a certain range that drones cannot. Dear friend, wild life is an integral part of our ecosystem. No matter how advanced we are in technology, we need to protect our wildlife. There are some species of birds which are extinct or have become endangered species because of human activity through environmental degradation or pollution. Irresponsible mining, indiscriminate cutting of trees and bush fires is gradually destroying the natural habitat of birds and other animals.

If Noah had not protected or preserved the doves as species of birds, how would he have known in record time that the water had subsided. Wildlife, the environment and human beings are interdependent but human beings have the fundamental duty of protecting and preserving them through their sustainable and responsible use. We are stewards of the environment and wildlife, like Noah, we must preserve them and use them responsibly. Shalom.

PRAYER

Dear Lord, grant us the discernment and wisdom to be good stewards of the environment and wildlife. May we develop sustainable ways of using the environment and preserving the lives of the birds and other animals in their natural habitat. Amen