"But ask now the beasts,
and they will teach you;
the birds of the air,
and they will tell you;
ask the plants of the earth,
and they will teach you;
and the fish of the sea will
declare to you.
Who among all these does not know
that the hand of God has done this?
In God’s hand is the life of every living
thing and the breath of every human being."
                        ~Job 12:7-10

As a rule people don’t delve into the book of Job much. It is a painful text, a depressing story in some ways. Job, who thinks of himself as a faithful man, is plagued by all kinds of hardships both physical and mental, and does some serious battle with himself, his friends and with God. He sticks with it though and wisdom comes in the end. For at least two people I know, this is their favorite book of the Bible. For one of those the text above is their favorite scripture.

This Sunday we will celebrate the Blessing of the Animals at our church. For Roman Catholics it marks the Sunday nearest the Feast Day of St. Francis, the saint known for his love and care of all Creation. It is an exciting Sunday in our community as people, both members and visitors, bring the pets that complete the circle of their family to church to be blessed and to be together. Standing in the front of the sanctuary looking out at humans of all ages and sizes sharing pews with dogs, cats, birds, ferrets, guinea pigs, mice and lizards, brings not only a smile to my face but warmth to me heart. It is a glorious day.

As I offer blessings to these nonhuman life companions, I am privileged to hear the stories of how these pets have brought comfort, friendship and healing to their owners. The stories are rich and reflect the words of the Holy One to Job. Make no mistake about it, these animals teach and declare that the hand of God moves in our lives in ways that words cannot express. The compassion of those soulful eyes that watch when we are ill or frightened are filled with wisdom beyond human abilities to console. Truly the image of God has many faces.

If you have a pet, today might be a good day to observe the wisdom they carry. The first observation is that living in the present moment is a good thing. The next might be that to lie down in the sun is healing and to follow the pattern of that sun as it moves connects you to the rhythm of the universe. And then, of course, enjoy your food…..really enjoy it. And follow that with the refreshing taste of a cool drink of water. When you need a nap, take one. It will all work out just fine. And finally, snuggle up close with someone you love.

Enjoy what promises to be a fabulous fall weekend………………….