Between the Hen and the Fox: A Lenten Journey of Justice and Love
As we continue our Lenten series, Cultivating and Letting Go, this Sunday’s scripture confronts us with a striking contrast: the cunning fox and the sheltering hen. In Luke 13, Jesus calls Herod a “fox”—a symbol of deceitful power, a ruler who mimics a lion but lacks true authority and justice. In contrast, Jesus describes himself as a mother hen, longing to gather her vulnerable chicks under her wings. It’s an image of protection, fierce love, and a radically different kind of power.
What does it mean to follow a God who chooses the way of the hen rather than the might of the fox? It means standing in solidarity with those the foxes of this world try to scatter—those pushed to the margins, denied dignity, or forced to live in fear. It means embracing a power rooted in love rather than dominance.
We see this struggle in our world today, as policies and ideologies seek to erase and exclude those who do not fit into narrow definitions of belonging. Trans youth, immigrants, and many others are being told they do not have a place, that they are unworthy of protection and human rights. But Jesus calls us to resist the fox’s fear-driven rule and instead gather one another in love.
This Sunday, we will light the Candle for Peace, Justice, and Hope for Trans Youth, standing as a people committed to creating spaces of refuge, safety, and belonging.
Lent calls us to cultivate courage and let go of fear—to embrace the way of the hen, even in a world full of foxes. Join us this Sunday as we walk this path together.
Alongside you,
Rev. Paul Ortiz