A BLESSING FOR ST. FRANCIS DAY

“If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who deal likewise with their fellow men.” 

 

                                                       St. Francis of Assis

 

       This blessing is identified in some places as "a Franciscan blessing," but I don't know the origin of it.  Nevertheless, I think it is an important one for animals, and for the links between disregard of animals suffering and disregard of human suffering, a link St. Francis readily made.  (A link so clear now, in fact, that the FBI now recognizes animal cruelty as a Group A felony, just like homicide, arson, and assault.)   So, as you read the blessig below, think especially of the animals in factory farms, fur farms, laboratories, steel leg traps, hoarding situations, puppy mills, chained in yards, locked in basements, dodging bb shot, wounded by arrows from hunters, fenced in canned hunting grounds, and more.  Pray that the church, and all humans, will come to see all of these practices as the indefensible cruelty they are and we that we can all work together to make the world a kinder place for both humans and other animals.   

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships,

so that you may live deep in your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of [any creature],

so that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war,

so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and turn their pain into joy.

May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world,

so that you can do what other claim cannot be done.

Amen.

 

May God grant you a joyous and blessed St. Francis Day, filled with the joy of companionship - human and animal, and strengthen you to do His work for the animals in the days and years to come.  

Here is a link to my St. Francis Day post from last year, How To Be A Blessing To The Animals.