Blessing of the Animals - Worship service for week ending October 10, 2020

Readings: 

St. Francis of Assisi born into a wealthy family, but he renounced his wealth and devoted his life to God. An Italian Catholic friar, mystic, and preacher, he founded the Men’s Franciscan order and the Women’s Order of St. Clare. Francis is one of the most venerated religious figures in Christian history. He is remembered for his generosity to the poor, caring for the sick, and his love and reverence for nature and animals. Francis is known as the patron saint of animals, birds, and the environment.  

 

“Luke,” a poem by Mary Oliver

I had a dog who loved flowers.
    Briskly she went through the fields,

yet paused for the honeysuckle
    or the rose,
        her dark head and her wet nose
  touching  the face of every one

with its petals  of silk,
    with its fragrance

  rising into the air
  where the bees,
    their bodies
        heavy with pollen,

hovered—
  and easily
     she adored every blossom,

not in the serious, careful way
    that we choose this blossom or that blossom—

the way we praise or don’t praise—
  the way we love or don’t love—
        but the way we long to be—

  that happy
    in the heaven of earth—
        that wild, that loving.

 

 

A prayer for Animal friends, By Kim Harvie

Great Spirit of life, 
We pray today for our animal friends, 
Grateful for their companionship and devotion. 
By our kindness to them, 
May we be worthy of their love. 

We pray also for pets who are gone from us, 
But who brighten our days 
And who comforted us by night. 

We pray for animals unknown to us 
Who are suffering, 
For many that are hunted or deserted or tortured. 
We ask for them pity and mercy. 
And for those who handle them 
We ask a heart of compassion, gentle hands, and kind words. 

Help us to be true friends to the animals 
And love them and keep them and bless them 
All the days of our lives. Amen.

 

Blessing: 

As the patron saint of the environment, St. Francis would be disappointed in how we humans have been treating it. Global destruction of forests, oceans filled with plastic, carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels that melts our icecaps, causing sea levels to rise, and the destruction of habitats and ecosystems. As the patron saint of animals, he would be disappointed in how we treat them. There are over 70 million homeless pets in the United States. Only around 7 million dogs and cats enter shelters. And almost half of those are euthanized. We have to do better.

Lobby for no-kill shelters and for spay and neuter programs, educate people that pet ownership is for life, and continue to donate money and food and supplies to organizations that are doing what they can to help. Thank you for all that you do.

 

Today we honor those pets who loved us their whole lives but are no longer with us, especially Ming, Smudge, Watson, and Penny. And we bless those that are still here with us: Zeke, Rosie June, Chartwell, Amigo, Poncho, Alfa, Oliver, Malcom, Charlie, Drifter, Romeo, Elvis, Tab, Tango, Lizzie, Biscuit, Sir Hugo, Hansel, Bella, Polson, Bear, Oreo, Rose, TJ, Esme, Violet, Little Grey, Moses, Sophie, Jitters, Honey, Bucky, Wiz, Blu, Abby, Tux, Tiara, Trevor, Poco, KJ, Riley, Rusty, Toby, Jack, Duffy, Maggie May, Cleo, and Sox. To all of you wonderful pets, thank you for your unconditional love, for your comfort when we need it most, for teaching us patience and relieving our stress, and for helping us see the world through your eyes and your spirit of adventure and wonder. May you have a long, healthy life, filled with love and happiness and tasty treats. May God bless you and keep you. May God’s face shine upon you and give you peace all your days.  Amen.