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Home > Worship > Special Services > Blessing of the Animals > Theological Background
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The service recognizes the ideals of St. Francis of Assisi, one
of the most beloved Christian saints. Following is the story of
St. Francis as told by Father Patrick Tuttle, OFM, who was the
guest speaker at the 1998 service:
“Francis of Assisi, a 13th-century Italian man who took
penance as a lifestyle because of his ever growing fascination
with the glory of God, was in contemplation about the incarnation
and the passion of Jesus. He became weepy at the thought of God
becoming flesh, entering our experience, and having been made
to suffer and die. As he began to contemplate the delicate nature
of humanity’s freedom, he noticed that the creatures around
him were less free than he was. They seemed to obey the will of
the creator perfectly. While he sensed periodic inhumanity in
himself, he never sensed that same betrayal of nature within creatures.
He became fascinated again and again, inspired by them. He sought
to understand his own nature that he might obey it as the animals
obeyed their nature. He blessed them for their beauty and obedience.
They taught him, and led him to seek God’s will for his
own life.”
Animals are mentioned frequently in scripture, as in these verses:
- Proverbs 12:10: “The righteous man regards the life of his beast.”
- Genesis 9: After the flood, it is mentioned five times that “I will make a covenant with you and with all living creatures.”
- Deuteronomy 22 and Exodus 23: “If you see an animal that is overburdened, you should lighten its load to help it.”
- Job 12: 7–10: “Ask the birds, ask the beasts and they will teach you.”
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