Diocese of Tennessee

A publication of the Diocese of Tennessee

Daughters of the King

Spring 2004

PAGE 3

The Chaplain's Corner

WINGS OF NEW LIFE

     One of the symbols of resurrection is a butterfly. It serves as such because the butterfly begins its life in the form of a moth, then after a period of time sequestered in a cocoon it undergoes transformation and emerges as a new being. The butterfly reminds us of the transformational aspect of resurrection. While in its cocoon it undergoes radical change, probably enduring painful adjustments to its physical form before it reenters the world with its newly designed physique of grace and beauty.

     It is a particularly appropriate symbol for Easter. During Lent we are called to enter a kind of cocoon where walls of deprivation and sacrifice set us apart form the world. Having entered the cocoon in a spirit of surrender and yielding to God, we are at the mercy of our Creator’s efforts to make adjustments to us, transforming the physique of our souls so that when the dawn breaks on the empty tomb we emerge with new grace and beauty.

     The butterfly leaves it cocoon behind. Jesus left the tomb behind. Fully transformed, we leave the shell of our former life behind.

     It isn’t necessarily the case that the cocoon times of our lives coincide with the Church seasons that focus on that aspect of the spiritual life. Even so, the seasons of the year equip us to understand those phases of our life when we happen to trip over them or, more often, they crash down around us! We grab hold of our symbols in our minds, and as we move through the experience to which they point, they weave into our souls and become integral parts of our being.

     One problem with symbols, however, is that they can be limited in their power if we only look at them. The butterfly is a wonderful example. One glance and we recognize the life cycle; notice the graceful arc and majestic design of the wings. But imagine being the butterfly. Be carried on the wind as it sweeps through flower-filled meadows. No longer confined by our former identity, whole new vistas open to us in our capacity to visit previously unexplored territory. We have access to new places and new experiences. Stronger than we were before, we can tackle bigger challenges and withstand greater adversity. The world is different, we are different, and life becomes richer.

     Transformation takes some getting used to. We no longer fit into the nooks and crannies that were home to us before we left the cocoon, and the things that sustained our life then have little power to fuel the new life into which we have been born. But transformation isn’t about staying the same. It is about breathing new air, spreading new wings, and taking flight.

Anne Wolf+