Today I Saw the Burning Bush

There is a burning bush hedge on Home Avenue across the street from our Church. The bush was filled with color. Most of the leaves of the burning bush across from our Church on Home Avenue were brilliantly red. Some green but mostly red.

When I saw it, I remembered that it was the same bush from many years ago that I sat in front of in my car while praying one day. It was this bush in which I saw for the first time the red bird which would be a reminder from God to me of His everlasting mercy and love for me.

It was late in the fall many years ago. I was returning from a remembrance service for Joe, the grumpy old man at the 4 Seasons Retirement Center, who had recently passed away. I was too late for the service and entirely missed it. I did get the opportunity to speak with his family afterwards and told them how he had touched my life, despite his constant grumbling and uncaring disposition. They were so amazed that anyone would say something nice about their dad. They even apologized for me having to put up with him.

After I left the building and was returning home, I felt sad and decided to stop near our Church. I parked on Home Avenue right next to this long hedge of bushes. As I sat there, I prayed and meditated on the events of the afternoon and how the conversations went. I felt so alone. Thinking about Joe's death made me sad. A little while later, something in the silence of my mind told me to turn and look to my right. Sitting there right in the middle of this bush was a bright red cardinal. It was just an ordinary cardinal, but sitting in the middle of that brown colorless and leafless bush, it was as brilliant as the sun at midday in a clear blue sky. You couldn't miss it. It was right there in front of me. And it sat there for a long long time. It didn't even move for a long time.

As I looked at in and meditated, a revelation became clear to me. "When you see a person who puts Jesus first in their heart and in their life, you will be able to see Him in them even more clearly than you can see this red bird in the brown colorless bush."

Wow. What a message. It was God talking to me as clearly as a real voice being heard in my ears. For the first time in my life I recognized Him talking to me. And the message was clear too. You are not alone. I am always with you forever.

And now I saw this bush again today, November 8, 2002, on my way to spend time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament chapel. And the entire bush was red !!! I didn't even know that the bush had red leaves !!! It was as red and the red cardinal was that I saw many years ago. I saw it from inside the new Church across the street. As I stood and looked at it and meditated on it, God spoke to me again.

"Keep your eyes on the bush. Pick a spot and keep your eyes on it. (pause) See how the people driving by on the street don't even notice this beautiful bush. They don't even know it is there. (pause) So too am I waiting here for them to see me, and no one even notices."