PRAYING FOR PETS

“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children,

you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

                                                             ~ Matthew 18:3

            In church this morning, I listened to a delightful presentation on the children’s worship service.  The speaker talked about some of the things that are different between that worship and worship in “the big church,” including the fact that in the children’s worship, “we probably pray for pets more often.”  This observation made me consider why we don’t pray for pets in “the big church.”  It’s a question that seemed worthy of a brief reflection, and a minor detour from my discussion of the image of God.  

            I think the reason we don’t pray for pets as adults in church is that it seems silly or trivial; it seems like a topic not worthy of God’s attention.  I would argue that nothing could be further from the truth.
  Those of us who have pets know the great blessings they bring to our lives.  They make us laugh, they cheer us when we need it most, they make us feel needed, and they love us for who we are.  They show us how to love unconditionally and how to accept love gratefully.  For people who live alone, pets are often a sorely-needed source of companionship and an excuse to get up and get out of the house.  For those who are depressed, they are a source of comfort and a reason to focus on something other than our sadness. Pets are good for our health.  Pets are heroes. They often risk their lives to save ours.  Pets who double as service dogs help us with daily activities in countless ways.  Is this not worth thanking God for?  

            When our pets are sick, where else should we turn for comfort and hope, but to God?  When they are facing surgery or have been hurt in an accident or are suffering from illness or anxiety, why would we not ask God’s blessing up on them?  Scripture tells us that God created and loves the animals and that not one sparrow falls without Him. (Matt. 10:29).  God loves our pets as much as we do; He knows their suffering and He cares about their well-being. 

             I think another reason we don’t pray for pets in church is that, as adults, we don’t like to acknowledge how much our pets mean to us, for fear that other people will think we are silly or trivial.  So when they are sick, we are hesitant to admit how worried we are, or when they pass away, we are hesitant to admit how grief-stricken we are.  Indeed, the lack of pastoral care when a pet is lost is a significant gap in the church, although some faith communities are taking steps to recognize the reality of this kind of loss and grief.[1] 

            The fact is that pets are important parts of our lives, whether we are children or adults.  The relationships we form with them are real, as is the joy they bring us, the love we feel for them, and the loss we know when they are gone.  There is nothing silly or trivial about this kind of love – it makes us more human. 

            I’ve argued in earlier posts that our creation in the image of God is creation with the express purpose and responsibility of taking care of the animals.  Pets are the most direct way most of us do that today.  Why would we want to exclude God from being a part of that relationship?  Why would we think God doesn’t want to hear about what is on our hearts about these beloved members of our families as we fulfill the task we were given at our creation? 

            I’ve also argued that acknowledging and honoring our relationships with animals we like, especially our pets, can help open our eyes to the other animals we impact in our daily lives, directly or indirectly.  When we allow ourselves to recognize the reality of joy and suffering experienced by the animals in our homes, we are better able to recognize that the animals outside our homes – in labs, factory farms, circuses, puppy mills, and other settings – know real suffering, too.  When we make that step, we can begin to change the world.  
           And that is certainly worth praying for.    

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[1] For example, the EpiscopalNetwork for Animal Welfare includes on its Resources page liturgies for the loss of pet.  My What You Can Do page, under the heading What Churches Can Do, includes ideas for how churches can honor the relationship between people in need and their pets.