All Creatures Great and Small

On Tuesday, October 4, we’ll have our annual St. Francis’ Day Blessing of the Animals. We’ll gather on the grass (for obvious reasons) at 6:00 p.m., and, after singing, praying, and reading scripture, we’ll pray a blessing over each animal.

Pets are an important part of many people’s lives, and animals are a unique part of God’s creation. It makes perfect sense, then, that we would bring our pets and ask for God’s blessing on them, as they provide very real companionship, comfort, and joy to many.

We have the Blessing of the Animals on October 4 because it is the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi (it doesn’t hurt, obviously, that the weather on early-October evenings is usually nice in Phoenix!). St. Francis has a reputation as having had a deep love for God’s physical creation, especially God’s animal creation. Stories abound of Francis’ love for animals, and, while it’s hard to separate fact from fiction in some stories, we know enough to know that Francis was enraptured by the beauty and diversity of God’s creation. His great hymn “All Creatures of our God and King” is a testimony to this passion.

As we prepare for the Blessing of the Animals, it might be a good opportunity to pray about people in your life who might be open to bringing their pet(s) for a blessing. I’m sure that each one of us has friends, family, neighbors, or co-workers who love their pets, and the thought of having their pets “blessed” might be appealing, even for those with no real faith. This might just be an opportunity to open a discussion about God with people who may not otherwise be interested. Wouldn’t it be great if God used someone’s pet to bring him or her to faith in Christ?

Whatever kind of pet you have, bring it to church Tuesday evening, and please invite anyone who might be interested. Finally, if you’ve lost a pet in the last year, we will have a special time of prayer for those who are grieving.

“All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small; all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all.”

Peace,

Chris

Image: “Sermon to the Birds” by Giotto, upper Basilica of San Francesco, Assisi