What’s the Big Deal About a Fox?

Back in December, the woman who cleans the Ministry Center discovered a fox curled up beside the building in the courtyard, apparently deciding that our property was just the right place for a winter nap. For days afterward, the staff at the Center—mostly Canon Cathy—became entirely, unapologetically obsessed.

Naturally, the fox was given a name: Margaret of Hungary. (No committee was consulted. The name simply arrived.)

Sadly, one day the landscaping crew startled Margaret, and she seemed to relocate to other, less leaf-blower-heavy accommodations. Later in December she was spotted again, this time with another fox—likely a date, as it was fox mating season. We were happy for her.

Then came Monday, February 2. While much of the world anxiously awaited word from a groundhog and his shadow, those of us at the Ministry Center were following a different animal narrative. Fresh tracks in the snow revealed that a fox had returned to the courtyard. Margaret—or perhaps Margaret’s cousin, sibling, or alter ego—was back.

So why does this matter so much to us?

Because when the world feels messy and heavy, joy sometimes arrives in small, unexpected ways. Sometimes it shows up with a mangled tail, a gorgeous face, and a tendency to nap near office buildings. This fox has given us something to smile about, something to watch for out the window, something to wonder about together.

She has reminded us that God’s creation is still full of surprises—and that hope occasionally leaves paw prints.

Welcome home, Margaret.

(And yes, we have no idea whether this fox is actually female. But the name Margaret of Hungary came to mind, and once that happens, there’s really no going back.)

–Canon Cathy Dempesy-Sims