I had a strange thing happen to me on the day of my father’s funeral. Let me set the stage for you. 
Mom and I, along with the rest of my siblings and family members, were seated in the front row of the big Catholic church down the road. Many of you may be familiar with the interior of the church as it is often used as a concert venue. From the front row, you can see past the altar and into the chapel, located in the front part of the building. This chapel has many windows looking out to the front lawn.

The funeral services at this church take place at the regular daily Mass which means that there was a good-sized crowd in attendance. Around communion time, I noticed a very red “flutter” just outside one of the chapel windows. The object bounced up and down and went back and forth very frantically. It took me minute, but I realized that the “flutter” was a male cardinal, making a definitive attempt to fly through the chapel window. I said a quick prayer that the bird would not harm himself in his futile mission and went back to paying attention to the service.

Later that afternoon, my mother and I were sitting on her front porch when a male cardinal began to fly back and forth in the yard. Mom turned to me and whispered, “Theresa, did you see that cardinal at church this morning, trying to get into the church? Do you think that was Dad? Do you think that this cardinal is Dad?”

I hadn’t mentioned anything to her before this exchange. Frankly, I didn’t think that anyone had noticed the bird but me. We talked about the event for a little while; commenting on how the cardinal certainly would remind us of Dad in the future, but knowing that it really wasn’t my father returned in the form of a bird.

However, later that summer, the whole family gathered again for an important discussion of items that needed to be settled after Dad’s death. This Family Meeting was held in Connecticut at one of my sisters’ home. We were all gathered in the family room. We had told several people about the cardinal at church and at the house. Others had added events that they had experienced. For example, one sister opened a box of stuffed animals after the funeral, only to find that there was a big red cardinal right on top of all the others. And she hadn’t ordered a cardinal!

Most of the nine bought into the idea that maybe God was sending us messages in the form of the cardinal to keep Dad’s memory fresh and to bring some comfort for his loss. However, there was one big skeptic who was quite vocal that this was just a lot of hooey. That is until during this family meeting, a big red, noisy, male cardinal flew to all the windows of the family room during this meeting. Sitting in the bushes right outside the windows, the bird seemed to want to be sure that we knew that my father was giving a blessing to our tasks.

So, today I saw two cardinals as I was out and about my errands. Both flew right across my car as I was driving. I haven’t seen any near my house in a while. Yes, my first thought was “Hi, Dad!” And secondly, I slowed down to remember him and his influence on my life. He was a complex man and our relationship was not simple.  

His faithfulness to his God and his family in the face of adversity has served as an example for me. He is another cause for gratitude to a loving God, because I truly believe that the reason that we made it through the “storm” was because God’s grace surrounded us. Because my father believed deeply in a loving God, he made sure all his children were regularly in God’s presence; able to receive the messages of love.  

Do I believe that the red cardinal is my father? No, but for me it is a powerful reminder of his love, and the sight of one can lift my day whenever I see one fly by the window or drink from the bird bath. Just as Christ’s cross reminds me of the limitless love which God has for his children. God loves you unconditionally and eternally; wherever you go and whatever you do. Read Matthew 11:25-30, and come to the Lord with all your cares.  

 Terri