Two years ago scientists scoured the bayous of southeastern Louisiana in search of what was believed to be an extinct bird, the ivory-billed woodpecker. Since the last confirmed sighting in the 1950s, people have often claimed to have seen one, but proof has been as elusive as the bird. That was until the story of a forestry student held up to cross-examination, convincing two teams to investigate.The ivory-billed woodpecker was an impressive bird: a huge white bill that seems too large for its head and a wingspan the length of your arm. Even when they were being seen they were rare. Their nickname is ‘Lord God’ bird because that is said to be the normal exclamation upon seeing one. One person involved in the recent search unashamedly said that he expected to “burst out in tears” if he were to actually lay eyes on one!
I don’t have any illusions about ever seeing one. At least if I did it would be easy to identify given its distinctive appearance. But that is not true of every bird. Some can be infuriatingly difficult to identify. Currently there is an immature swan in Northampton that is easy to see but next to impossible to identify. It is either a tundra swan or maybe the first state record of trumpeter swan. Many of us who have seen this bird will be waiting for a decision of the avian records committee before we mark our lists in ink.
What these two stories have in common is the desire of faith. In both cases there is a great desire to believe that the rare bird is being seen. The Northampton swan was reported as the more expected tundra until someone suggested that it might be a trumpeter, and then the hordes descended to check it out. After hours of observation and multiple photographs the jury is still out. In this case Jesus’ words, “blessed are those who have not seen but yet believe” do not apply. It is akin to Mary’s encounter with the risen Christ, mistaking him for the more expected gardener than the miraculously resurrected Jesus.
These stories are also about doubt. There is good reason to doubt that there are any ivory-billed woodpeckers alive. But if there were proof the reaction would be dramatic to the resurrection of the ‘Lord God’ bird. How much more dramatic doubting Thomas’ proclamation must have been when he was confronted with the presence of Christ alive again. Can you imagine what he thought and felt beyond his potent words, “my lord and my God”?
