Don’t Worry: Three Birds for Saint Padre Pio
“Pray, hope, and don’t worry,” said Padre Pio. If we pray and truly have hope, we can indeed learn to keep worry at bay. So to honor Padre Pio, today’s music, art and poetry is all aimed at doing just that. Bob Marley’s “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” assures in its lyrics, “Three little birds pitch by my doorstep/ Singin’ sweet songs/ Of melodies pure and true/ Saying’, (this is my message to you): don’t worry.” This Trinity of birds heralds hope and reminds of the great passage from scripture that teaches us to let go of worries: Matthew 6:26-34 New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
26 Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they
27 Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?[a]
28 Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin.
29 But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them.
30 [b]If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?
31 So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’
32 All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
33 But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness,[c] and all these things will be given you besides.
34 Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.
