Days 27-31 – The Miracle of the Monarch

Of all God's creations, the Monarch butterfly is among the most astonishing and miraculous. When these gorgeous creatures emerge from their chrysalises and mature, they engage in a complex, two thousand mile journey that defies scientific explanation.

The Monarchs of the Western hemisphere all depart from the same sacred space high up in the Sierra Madre mountains of Mexico. Their home base is only fifty square miles. Launching from this spot, millions of them fan out across vast areas of America ending up in Canada. They return, a season later, to exactly the same spot in Mexico.

Scientists have made efforts to throw the Monarch off course. The butterflies always re-engage their precise flight path back to their mountain home.

Their bodies are small, their brains are not much bigger than the head of a pin. How do they accomplish their magic? No scientist has been able to figure this out.

The Miracle of the Monarch provides wonderful insight for all of us – a chance to watch, to marvel and, at least in this case, to let go of our obsessive desire to try and figure everything out. So often, the urge to analyze everything goes beyond being useful to the point where beauty and grace are lost.

Caregivers encounter this problem all the time. Modern medical science has an extraordinary ability to fix the mechanical breakdowns that afflict our bodies.

The strengths of medical science sometimes dazzle us to the point where we forget to honor the mysteries that transcend science.

Curing has a strong scientific focus. Healing, on the other hand, requires both scientific and spiritual energy. We can analyze the orange-winged motion of the Monarch butterfly. Yet, if all we do is analyze, we will miss the transcendent beauty of these soaring expressions of God's Love. As they sail the blue air like scatterings of fall leaves we begin to appreciate why these majestic creatures carry the name Monarch.

– Rev. Erie Chapman

NOTE: PBS aired a stunning documentary on Monarch Butterflies Tuesday evening on Nova (go to www.pbs.org) Wednesday morning's T.V. ratings reflected that the vast majority of television viewers were watching "American Idol" and "America's Biggest Loser." Only a tiny fraction of the viewing public watched Nova's masterpiece on the butterflies.

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Categories: Reflections, Holidays, Spirituality

Tags: beauty versus science, caregivers, Erie Chapman, God’s Love, miracles, Monarch butterflies, PBS

9 responses to “Days 27-31 – The Miracle of the Monarch”

~liz Wessel

January 27, 2010 at 9:46 am

“Something opens our wings. Something makes boredom and hurt disappear. Someone fills the cup in front of us: We taste only sacredness.”
~Rumi
I was fortunate to see this show about a year ago and I marveled at the fascinating fragility, strength, and perseverance of the Monarchs. I particularly recall how the butterfly’s have to cross-large bodies of water and how intuitively they know to wait for the right wind currents to carry them on their way. I appreciate your inspiring meditation and encouragement to experience mystery. Thank you, Erie, for highlighting this PBS feature which I look forward to watching once again.
This is love: to fly toward a secret sky, to cause a hundred veils to fall each moment. First to let go of life. Finally, to take a step without feet.
~Rumi

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Barbara Mason

January 27, 2010 at 11:34 am

The transformation that a butterfly goes through is amazing. I love the analogy in evveryday life. As a home health nurse, occasionally there are elderly clients that embrace their age. And as they shed their coccoon, or give up parts of their old life they are able to be fulfilled with the beauty and fullness that being a senior has to offer. Also as a personal side note, 15 years ago I lost 165 lbs, Im still transforming into a healthier happier more beautiful me. Im so thankful for Gods hand touching all our lives in this process.

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Victoria Facey

January 27, 2010 at 11:41 am

We will so miss seeing real butterflies in flight, around us the coming years; I don’t think most people realize that the “beauties” of nature are slipping away while we are engaged elsewhere. And, with such a unique story of the lives of these Monarch Butterflies, one would think this article would be of more interest.
I am not a reality show patron, however I missed the PBS program about these butterflies. The mixed blessing is that I can go online to capture it; the irony is that society appears to spend so much time with electronic media (internet, mp3, etc.) that we are becoming blind to the natural beauty and wonders that the world will someday lose. How sad…

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Marie Ma

January 27, 2010 at 10:12 pm

The Monarch butterfly always held such wonderment for me as a child growing up. They seemed so magical and elusive,providing a moment to experience the fleeting joy of its’ appearance.. I am still in awe of them and feel the same sort of elation when I am privileged by a sighting.
You would not think of this tiny and fragile creature being so resilient and capable of travel 2,000 miles each year.We can enjoy and experience the blessing. Even though we cannot explain how this occurs.
Healing and curing is not just a scientific event,,as we have all experienced as caregivers. We know that faith and God’s love and strength is behind so much in the field of medicine. So often,things cannot be explained by science alone.
It is important to contemplate and allow for the spiritual component of healing,,,as the body heals with the help of the spiritual self and the faith. We recognize that it is far more than science that heals and cures all of us.
Thank you Rev. Chapman,,,for this fine insight. I regret having missed the PBS special,,I hope to catch it on the next repeat,,it sounds lovely.Thank you for your most thoughtful and gentle writings. They are inspirational and insightful.
Marie Murphy

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Karen York

January 28, 2010 at 10:52 am

I love butterflies.

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~liz Wessel

January 28, 2010 at 11:37 pm

When someone mentions the gracefulness
of the nightsky, climb up on the roof
and dance and say,
Like this.
If anyone wants to know what “spirit” is,
or what “God’s fragrance” means,
lean your head toward him or her.
Keep your face there close.
Like this.
If anyone wonders how Jesus raised the dead,
don’t try to explain the miracle.
Kiss me on the lips.
Like this. Like this.
I am a sky where spirits live.
Stare into this deepening blue,
while the breeze says a secret.
Like this.
When someone asks what there is to do,
light the candle in his hand.
Like this.
~Rumi

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Gemma Fernandez

January 29, 2010 at 7:28 pm

Butterflies are so delicate and beautiful. Our Lord made everything so perfect for all of us to appreciate and to recognize how much He loves us.

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Suan B Geh

January 29, 2010 at 7:51 pm

I love to travel and the best part in the airplane is when the pilot announces to the staff to get ready for “take off”. This energizes my being as the plane takes off and soars into the skies. Likewise the monarch butterflies moves in one accord in freedom flying from the Sierra Madre to North America and back. Some of our patients are very sick, trapped in their physical frame, bedbound or wheelchair bound and some of them may be longing to break free but this may not be possible. As caregivers we can help to energize their spirit and lift their soul up. The Life Giving Spirit is in us and out of our being shall flow rivers of Living Water. The Lord is also the Tree of Life and its leaves are for the healing of the nations.

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Sue Staley

February 1, 2010 at 12:35 pm

The monarch butterfly has always been a favorite of mine. In high school we were called the Mater Dei Monarchs. Never really realized the sympbolism in that until now. We were always taught to do everything with body , mind and soul. If the 3 are not equalized , then we run into trouble. If one concentrates too much on the body, worldly temptations come much more at ease. With the mind is discipline and sometimes confusion if not centered in the soul.
At Central Park in Huntington Beach there is the Donald Shipley Nature Center. Many people dedicate their time in keeping this beautiful center. It is here that many monarchs take rest on their way to Pismo Beach and the tall redwoods in Santa Cruz county. It is an awesome thing to see if one is lucky enough to be there at the right time. The sky is full of butterflies… You just want to make sure they fly high enough so you don’t hit them.

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