ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
October 1, 2022
Today, Cypress Creek Christian Church will be offering a Blessing of the Animals as part of our Fall Festival. There are all kinds of fun activities for kids, many of these activities will allow young people to encounter different animals. I have really come to love this event and to enjoy all the creatures I meet. We celebrate this occasion on the first Saturday of October because the official Feast Day for St. Francis of Assisi is October 4. It was St. Francis who, some 1200 years ago, started blessing animals in a sort of official way. He was known to have said, “All praise to you, O Lord, for all these brother and sister creatures.” St. Francis did not see himself above anyone else, including all of God’s beautiful animals, fish, reptiles and birds. At Cypress Creek Christian Church, we celebrate this occasion for many reasons, and one of those reasons is to recognize how what some might call a “pet” is really more like a family member. The creatures that we invite into our homes become so much a part of who we are, and today allows for that special relationship to be acknowledged and blessed. I hope to see you there, even if you don’t have a furry, fuzzy, scaly, feathery or finned creature in your household. We will also be blessing stuffed animals, or maybe you just want to come by and enjoy the petting zoo or one of the other encounters.
Merciful and Gracious God, we pause and give thanks for the amazing world in which we live. Today, we give special thanks for animals that bless our lives. Help us to remember the responsibility you have given us when it comes to being stewards and caretakers of your creation. Amen.
