Yes, you read the title right! I most certainly believe that
animals have a very particular kind of spirituality and, as far as Church
Tradition goes, this is quite orthodox. Holy Scripture is replete with examples
that point out how animals are, in fact, in relationship to God through
Creation, and how animals do indeed fulfill God's will. From the story of Eden,
to Noah's ark, through the poetry of the Psalms, to Daniel and the lions' den,
to the Manger of the Christ child, to the Holy Spirit's descent "like a dove"
upon Jesus at His baptism, to Jesus' assertion that God's eye is on the sparrow,
to the mysterious imagery of the book of The Revelation, it is absolutely clear
that animals are inextricably a part of how God lives in this world and makes
Himself known. Moreover, there are literally hundreds of pious legends in
Christian history that speak spiritual truths through imaginative stories about
animals. Intuitively, we know that those truths could not be expressed as deeply
in some other way (the lovely story that ever since the Manger in
Bethlehem, animals speak in wonder and praise at midnight on Christmas Eve comes
to mind). And then there's St. Francis of Assisi, whose mystical understanding
of the manifestation of God in Creation once led him to preach a sermon to birds
(!) out of his conviction that animals, too, are servants of God. It is St.
Francis' life and example that we commemorate in the annual "Blessing of the
Animals" service on Sunday afternoon, October 5.
Each year, I can count on the fact that during the week following the Blessing
of the Animals, people in our area (strangers to All Saints') who read about it
in the newspaper or saw the TV coverage will contact All Saints' about it. Many
of these responses have been very touching—thanking us for this witness, sharing
special stories or memories about a pet, or expressing grief over a pet's death
that they felt others wouldn't understand or would dismiss as over-emotional
silliness. On the other hand, I usually get a call or two challenging us about
this service—even confrontations: "animals don't have souls," "it's childish to
think that animals go to heaven," "it's wrong to bless them because they don't
know what's going on and that's not how prayer works" and the like. I've even
had one person say that we were idolaters because we were making animals objects
of religion!
We could debate whether or not animals have "souls," but that's not really at
issue (after all, we bless all sorts of things without souls—objects like
wedding rings, houses, crosses, etc). Spirituality is largely about the capacity
for mutual relationship. I would also say that "soulfulness" involves the
uniqueness of that life in such a relationship. Pet owners will speak readily of
both of these qualities in their animals, and a pet's distinctive personality
attests to them. Or, we might simply be aware of what one's relationship with an
animal, and the responsibility for it, evokes in our own souls and reveals about
us. So it is quite right and an expression of faithfulness to ask God's blessing
and guidance in all of this. It is a way of showing that we perceive and depend
upon God's presence to us in all of life. Furthermore, it is a fitting response
to God to ask blessings upon our animals since we experience blessings through
them! The Blessing of the Animals is—like any other blessing—mostly about
gratitude for what is happening in life at the hands of God. But the last word
is the fact of love, and love is
always about blessing.
Dedicated to the loving memory of Tess, God's own black lab
who blessed the Johnstons:
July 28, 1990—Sept. 11, 2003
Shannon +
