"All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful:
The Lord God made them all."
Cecil F. Alexander (1848)
We had the Blessing of the Animals in honor of St. Francis of Assisi with Grace Lutheran today, and what a lovely service it was. Lots of beloved pets, including dogs, puppies, a cat and a guinea pig! Of course, there was much excitement as Riley saw his besties, Ranger and Scout! Not sure that he understood the sanctity of being blessed, but nevertheless, blessed he was. I did not think I would manage the kitties as well. The kitty there did meow in unison through the hymn, and the birds in the trees tweeted merrily :)
"Prayer of Saint Francis for Animals:
God Our Heavenly Creator, You created the world to serve humanity's needs and to lead them to You. By our own fault we have lost the beautiful relationship which we once had with all your creation. Help us to see that by restoring our relationship with You we will also restore it with all Your creation. Give us the grace to see all animals as gifts from You and to treat them with respect for they are Your creation. We pray for all animals who are suffering as a result of our neglect. May the order You established be once again restored to the whole world. We ask this trusting in your love for the whole creation. Amen"
(Photo courtesy of the Grace Lutheran Mendham FB site)
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