Last Sunday, Janet and I were headed to church in Zionsville, almost 30 minutes from our home. On the way, we passed an Episcopal church that mentioned an unusual service set to take place in their sanctuary that very morning. The sign went on to say that they were having a service of blessing for animals. They invited congregants to bring their animals to church where they would receive a blessing. Having never heard of this before, I was intrigued. So… I researched it when we got home.
What I learned is that this past weekend was the Feast day for St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology. And, usually, on the first Sunday in October, Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopalian and, on occasion, other denominations celebrate a service dedicated to nature and the blessing of animals. I heard that a Presbyterian church even held a service of blessing for animals. From what I have read, while most people bring their dogs and cats, there are also reports of people bringing their lizards, rabbits and other pets – one report even said that someone brought a hedgehog to be blessed.
In a way, I can see that this could really be an interesting and special service. After all, God, in the book of Genesis, gave mankind dominion over the animals. It is fair and appropriate that there would be a service that commemorated that responsibility and offered prayer and blessings for the animal kingdom.
So what does St. Francis of Assisi have to do with all this? Well, St. Francis had an unusual life, starting when he was born in 1181. He was born in to a well to do family – raised with wealth and status. He spent his youth drinking and partying. After a confrontation between two neighboring areas, Francis was imprisoned and held for ransom. It took about a year for his father to negotiate an agreeable ransom for the return of his son.
During Francis’s imprisonment, he started hearing the voice of God, and according to some reports, had visions as well. After his release, Francis believed that he had heard from God that he was to repair the church and live a life of poverty. That’s where he chose to dedicate his work. Later in life, in 1224, Francis awoke with marks resembling the wounds of Christ on the cross – the first person ever known to have received such holy wounds. His deniers suggested that the wounds were indicative of leprosy, a disease that he had come in contact with earlier in his life, caring for those with the disease. He died in Assisi, Italy, on October 3, 1226 and was canonized as a saint two years later on July 16, 1228. This past weekend was the 800th anniversary of his death.
Aside from his riches to rags story, Assisi impressed thousands of followers who became known as Franciscan Friars – their belief was to work against the wealthy trappings of the church and they were clearly set on living in poverty and returning to the lifestyle of Jesus.
Francis, throughout most of his life, pushed himself in the quest of spiritual perfection. He wrote “The Canticle of the Creatures” which refers to elements of nature such as “Brother Sun” and “Sister Moon”. He considered them as part of creation, a cause very dear to his heart. He also taught that every section of the earth has real value and deserves care. Likewise, through his love of nature he saw all animals, plants and natural forces as God’s creations and even human siblings according to some writings on Francis’s life.
It’s clear to see that Francis was devoted to nature, the animal kingdom and all of God’s creations making him one of the earliest ecologists. In fact, Pope John Paul II declared him the Patron Saint of Ecology on November 28, 1979. Furthermore, in 2013, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio chose to honor St. Francis by taking his name, becoming Pope Francis! St. Francis’s reach extends into today. His views on ecology, sustaining the earth and caring for God’s creatures have inspired many modern initiatives on the environment.
Our verse for tonight is from the book of Genesis when God gives mankind dominion over the animals by instructing Adam to name the various creatures of the earth. We are told by Moses, the author of Genesis, in Genesis 2:19-20, “Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field.”
My encouragement this evening is that God still wants us to care for His entire creation – the environment and the animals. My prayer is that we will take that responsibility seriously and continue to steward God’s creation. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…