I read an article in the Associated Press discussing the alarming drop in the bee population.  There is a widespread fear that certain bumblebee species on the West Coast are becoming extinct before these particular bees can be placed on the endangered species list.

To make matters worse, there are other bumblebee species that are dying out and have gone from common to rare.   The article suggested that if bumblebees were to disappear, the consequences would be dramatic.

Bumblebees are responsible for pollinating an estimated 15 percent of all the crops grown in the U.S., worth $3 billion, particularly those raised in greenhouses. Those include tomatoes, peppers, and strawberries.  Demand is growing as honeybees decline. In the wild, birds and bears depend on bumblebees for berries and fruits….

In similar fashion the world depends on God’s faithful to become the “bumblebees” of life cross-pollinating the world with truth and love, and carrying the Gospel message of Jesus Christ to others. And yet the hardworking bumblebees of faith are also in danger of becoming extinct.  Unfortunately, many of us have become “busy bees,” distracted and far from being attentive to the work of God’s kingdom.  Elder Paisios from Mt. Athos (of blessed memory) says, “Many people nowadays have been educated in a secular way, they live their lives rushing around at ‘secular’ speed.  Lacking a love or fear of God, they also lack the brakes and as they speed everywhere without restraint, they end up going over the cliff.”

God is asking you and me to slow down from our secular speed and receive His word and purpose so we can become “bumblebees” who are not dazed having lost our direction with an unreceptive heart.  God wants us to become His ambassadors, His arms, feet, hands, and voice that sparks the fire of souls, igniting them to a path of righteousness and compassion. 

Bees loyally belong to the queen; the hive is their home.   In a similar way, we must have our loyalty focused upon Jesus and His church.  It is not possible to follow Christ and remain alone.  We also find comfort in our Queen – the Theotokos, accompanied by all the saints!

Becoming bumblebees means that we not simply pray requesting God to do something or give something.  It is about our willingness to participate in God’s answer to help in what we are asking God to provide.  If we ask for peace, compassion, love and hope, we must be willing to become people who are actively doing whatever we can to contribute towards the peace, compassion, love and hope in the world around us.

How can we become like bumblebees?  We make every attempt to live a Christ-centered life and spread His love and compassion.   As messengers of hope, we are to be the ‘salt of the earth,’ spreading the message of hope and salvation to all people, engaging in action, and participating in providing peace for the whole world and for the unity of all, as we say in the liturgy.

The following story is an illustration of the effects of cross-pollination.

There was a farmer who grew award-winning corn. Each year he entered his corn in the state fair where it won a blue ribbon.  One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his award winning corn seed with his neighbors.

"How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?" the reporter asked  "Why, sir," said the farmer, "didn't you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn."

Indeed, the farmer is well aware of the connectedness of life. His corn cannot improve unless his neighbor's crop also improves. It is vital for us to be concerned about our neighbors and our community, uniting ourselves with others, sharing the best we have.

Be at peace and others will find peace.  Be an example of love and others will know the love of the Lord.  Seek to grow and share your faith and give glory to God.  Just like the bumblebees are sent throughout the earth to pollinate plants – we too, are called to a life of holiness and the task of spreading the good news of Jesus Christ through our example of love.

“If you love your neighbor, then all of heaven will love you.  If you are united in spirit with your fellow creatures, then you will be united with God and all the company of heaven; if you are merciful to your neighbor, then God and all the angels and saints will be merciful to you.  If you pray for others, then all of heaven will intercede for you.  The Lord our God is holy; be holy yourself also.” St. John Chrystostom

As we celebrate Thanksgiving and prepare for Christ’s Nativity, let us consider the importance of being united in spirit with one another so that we might be united with God and all the company of heaven leading us towards salvation.                                        

+  Fr. Tom