“Carol of the humpbacks”
“In a normal summer, Alaska’s bays would have been filled with hundreds of cruise ships and whale-watching boats. But this year, instead of the constant hum of boat motors, the ocean is filled with whale songs. In the absence of the million-plus humans and their noisy engines, humpback whales are singing more, resting more and socializing more.
With tourism at near-zero during the pandemic, the endangered whale populations are thriving in the silent oceans. Dr. Michelle Fournet, director of the Sound Science Research Collective, has been “listening” to the hauntingly eerie songs of the humpbacks for the past ten years and has never seen — or heard — a summer like this.
“When an animal calls less, the likelihood of it finding a comrade goes down
significantly. [Our presence] alters their social structure.” But this year scientists like Dr. Fournet are seeing “how these humpback whales are interacting with their environment instead of how they’re interacting with us.” [The Guardian, October 2, 2020.]
[Allow] the “song of the whales” inspire [you] to take on Jesus’ call to watchfulness and awareness, [to be guided by] God’s compassion and peace as we await the dawning of God’s perfect light this Christmas.
Faith in Jesus Christ is about seeing the world through His eyes.
It’s not about earning or achieving. It’s about relationships rather than results or requirements.” Like the song of the whales in the quiet ocean, may we “watch” this Advent to behold the beauty and wonder and grace of God’s presence in every moment of our lives. [Connections, December 2020]
St. Joseph, pray for us.
May God Be Praised!
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