Our morning routine was a little odd this morning. We headed out to school with backpacks, lunchboxes, a longhaired
Soon after arriving at school, we were joined by a procession of animals, everything from dogs and cats to hamsters and turtles, as today was Blessing of Pets day. Every October, the Episcopal Church celebrates the Feast of Saint Francis of
“Blessed are you, Lord God, maker of all living creatures. You called forth fish in the sea, birds in the air and animals on the land. You inspired St. Francis to call all of them his brothers and sisters. We ask you to bless this pet. By the power of your love, enable it to live according to your plan. May we always praise you for all your beauty in creation. Blessed are you, Lord our God, in all your creatures! Amen.”
I’ll be honest, the first time we did a school-wide blessing of animals, I thought it was absurd, although not as chaotic as one might assume.
Our service began:
“I was glad when they said unto me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord’. The Lord is in His Holy Temple; let all the earth keep silence before Him.”
And, lo and behold, not a single bark, whimper or meow was heard.
I led the opening hymn, fully expecting Mr. Biggs, who was quietly abiding in his doggie traveling bag on my arm, to “sing” right along with me…he loves to harmonize, but he refrained.
As our chaplain spoke and read the prayers, I glanced around the gym full of children holding stuffed animals to represent their beloved pets and dozens of parents who braved bringing the beloved pets to be blessed “in person”. It was then that the feeling of absurdity faded into understanding. Caring for God’s creations is a blessing and stewardship is a sacred act. God is glorified through His Creation and our furry friends are a small but meaningful part.
My pets are faithful companions; my little friends. I strive to be the person my dog thinks I am. Mr. Biggs always greets me like my presence has absolutely made his day; his tail can’t wag fast enough to express his excitement. Being with me is his top priority and he is overcome with joy when I call his name. He senses when I’m sad or not feeling well and quietly snuggles beside me in silent support. He brings me joy with his unconditional affection and his funny fuzzy face.
Gandolf, the orphan kitten, has quickly found his place in the Stutes home. He is happiest when his people are gathered in one place, so as soon as one of us is up in the morning, he takes it upon himself to wake the rest of us up with his caterwauling. He exudes patience as he is “cared for” by Esther. He endures weekly baths, playing dress-up, stroller rides, endless manhandling and smothering affection. This kind of longsuffering is very unusual for a feline, but he has the steady disposition of a saint. He also has a mischievous playful side of which poor Mr. Biggs is most often the target. They rough and tumble, but each party takes care not to overly exert themselves or their sparing partner. They, too, have become friends (even over “party lines”).
I have discovered insightful life lessons just from my watching my pets. Mine have shown me living examples of showing love, expressing joy, and extending patience. They have also given me lessons in true friendship: be happy to see me, snuggle with me when I’m sad, don’t poop on my carpet, and be patient with me. I often wish I could live and love with such abandon!
Thank you Lord, for allowing me to enjoy some of Your creatures as my special companions. Thank you for the subtle lessons from unexpected places that Your Spirit uses to teach me about how to comfort, encourage and unconditionally love others. Thank you for the joy that comes from stewardship of Your creation. Thank you for creating a world that “is good” and full of wonder, and for filling it with beautiful things that bring glory to You.
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