Today is the feast of St. Francis, and so many places are finding ways to do animal blessings and blessing of pets! The Anglican and Lutheran parishes here in Lunenburg will share an online prayer and blessing service, with the video being a compilation of pets shared by members of the parishes. It's fun!
Francis, however, was about a lot more than just pets. He respected the animals, of course, as part of the natural world. He was a man of balance, recognising the interconnection of species as a Divine network that was gifted to the planet. His prayers and writings celebrate the celestial bodies, the earthly flora and fauna, the lifecycles that collectively offer ceaseless praise.
The gift of Francis' writings was not just that we have a convenient saint of the day for the Season of Creation and Love-Your-Pets festivities, but that we are called to a deeper understanding of where we are and how we are: we are here as a part of the whole. We are blessed, as self-reflective creatures, to appreciate and enjoy the world around us: to be awed by a bird, and inspired by a sunset, and intrigued by a spider's web...
Francis invites us to be intentional about how we think of ourselves within this earthly context. He anthropomorphised the natural world to encourage us to have a more personal and respectful relationship with the environment. He elevated the 'status' of the inanimate, as equal to us, so that we would realise the beauty of God's intricate plans. He highlights the lives of animals, sentient beings like us, so we would not perceive ourselves as more special or loved by the Creator. In all things, Francis shows us the presence of the Divine - it's right there!... and there, and there... it is, truly, in all things.
Let's celebrate St. Francis today by truly appreciating - and caring for - the world around us. Let's bless the animals... and the trees, and sunsets, and hummingbirds, and rocks, and.....
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