Mother Hens
Growing up right in the city of Detroit, I never saw a chicken or knew the difference between the various types of chickens, hens, and roosters. Of course, we ate chicken (not very often though, mostly beef) and eggs (moreso in recipes), but I never, ever thought of where they originated. Until I came to Greenfield, Indiana, at the age of 40 for a call to St. James Lutheran Church. What a shocker. Behind me lived pigs and cows and chickens. Do you know how smelly farms like that can be?
My son worked for a member of the church on his farm. He brought home eggs that came directly from a chicken. I was skeptical and preferred eggs that came directly from a grocery store. Going over to a church member’s farm, I was shocked at how ferocious the chickens were - pecking not only at the ground as I’d seen in cute pictures but pecking at me! It was a real shock when the children who lived there insisted, I hold one. Leaving couldn’t come soon enough!
Now comes Luke’s gospel lesson about a mother hen. Part of what I enjoy so much about giving a sermon is the research and preparation. To do that I decided I needed to get to know more about hens, so I contacted one of the youth, now 38 and a farmer, from my old youth group in Livonia, MI. He told me all about chickens and answered all my questions. You can see Ron’s chicks, that he loves dearly pictured here.
I also posted my questions on Facebook and Lacy Foy, a member of Messiah, invited me out to her farm in Jamestown, IN. Now that’s a drive! There is also a picture of one of Lacy’s hens named “Chicken,” with her daughter Kate.
I was very curious how a hen’s fluffy, feathery wings could protect her chicks – needing to see for myself. Stories on the internet talked about how hens died protecting her chicks under her wings while the chicks lived. Seemed impossible to me. Ron confirmed this as did Lacy. Ron said that the chicks climb up under the mom’s wing to get off the ground, and that the wings on hens are sizeable, especially if unclipped. He said that getting hit by a chicken’s wing is not painful, but you feel the force. They are very strong. Chicks know their mom and come running at her call generally and nestle under her wing. I’ve included some photos of underneath “Chicken’s” wing where the chicks would nestle.
Not always but in general the chicks come when the mother hen calls. Some can be defiant of the mom’s call just like we can be defiant. Just like Jesus spoke about in the Gospel lesson. And that usually doesn’t lead to good things for the chick.
As Jesus says in the text “How often have I desired to gather you children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”
What strikes me with this text is Jesus great love for us like the hens great love for her chicks. Whether we come to Jesus or not when Jesus calls us, Jesus continues to call. Continues to want to protect us. Continues to want to love us with overflowing love. Love full to the brim.
Do you know that? Do you know that deeply? Do you know how much Jesus loves you…..YOU!
Let’s look at this video from Maya Angelou about that love.
I’d like you to repeat this after me very slowly as she did:
GOD loves me
God LOVES me
God loves ME!
Like that hen loves her chicks and gathers them, Jesus longs to gather us all. May we not ignore that call. May we not ignore it because some of the others under Jesus’ wing are not like us. May we not ignore it because we are too busy at the moment. May we not ignore it because as some say: “I got this!” We need to realize God’s got this! We can rest securely under God’s wing with all God’s children. God’s love is full to brim for us, for me, and for you. Let’s close one more time by repeating after me:
God loves ME!
