Ravens, Crows & ...John the Baptist?

  

                                                                    Seven Crows -- Alex Colville 

At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made and sent out the raven; and it went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth.

                                              Genesis 8:6-7 NRSVue 

Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!

                                                           Luke 12:24 NRSVue

My goal of sharing photos of pieces of art in our home during Advent is being tested by the low light days of November. I'm doing my best to capture what brings us a sense of wellbeing and joy on our walls but it is a challenge because of both gloom and glare. 

The reproduction above is of a painting by the late, acclaimed Alex Colville from Nova Scotia. The reproduction was a resale for a client of a gallery where it was being described as a print. There was a period when it was common for some artists to sign reproductions, as this one is giving the impression that they were in fact artists prints.It might not have been deceptive but it was confusing.  I pointed this out to the gallery owner who seemed baffled by the distinction, but we purchased it anyway because we enjoyed the Wolfeville area when we lived in Nova Scotia, we are intrigued by the social behaviour of crows and ravens, and the price was right.

Corvids are just about everywhere in the world, amazingly adaptable, and clever. They are problem-solvers and playful and gregarious. I've watched crows mob a Great Horned Owl and a Bald Eagle and another boldly but expertly chase an eagle. They are so smart. 

One of our children and her family began feeding several crows when one was injured and had difficulty flying. The grandkids wanted names so David Crowie and Russell Crow emerged as monikers. 

                                              Crows on a Windowsill -- one Advent, the other Christmas? 

They show up in scripture a number of times as well. Noah sent out a raven from the ark as the flood waters subsided, before the successful foray of the dove. The prophet Elijah was fed by them, which was handy. In Luke's version of the "do not worry" teaching of Jesus in Matthew's Sermon on the Mount we are invited to consider the example of ravens, not simply birds in general.

Could ravens and crows be the avian version of John the Baptist, who prepares the way of Christ in Advent? I'm going for it!