Blessing of the Animals

Hello beautiful church,

This Sunday, I am going to do something I have never done before.

I am going to preach to dogs.

And cats.

And perhaps a bird or two.

Maybe a reptile.

Honestly, at this point, I have no idea who is coming to church.

And I could not be more excited about it.

This Sunday is our Blessing of the Animals, and for the first time at GCCC, we are making the animals part of the entire worship service. We will gather in Gardener Hall, where barking is allowed, wandering is expected, and a little bit of holy chaos will be perfectly appropriate.

Our Scripture for the morning gives us a rather wonderful instruction:

“Ask the animals, and they will teach you.”

That's Job.

And if you know anything about the book of Job, you know this isn't exactly a sweet little verse about puppies. Job is suffering. His friends have arrived with all kinds of explanations about God, life, and why things happen the way they do.

Job isn't buying it.

Instead, he says something rather extraordinary:

Ask the animals.

Maybe they know something.

I've been looking at my miniature dachshund, Randy, a little differently all week.

Although, to be fair, Randy has been convinced for five years that he has important things to teach me. Mostly about the proper distribution of treats.

But Job has left me with a question I can't shake:

What do they know that we have forgotten?

That's the question I am bringing with me into Sunday.

So bring your dogs, cats, birds, hamsters, reptiles, and whoever else shares your life. And if you don't have an animal, come anyway!

Because this Sunday, we are going to remember that we are creatures among creatures, sharing this strange and beautiful life together.

And maybe we will discover that the animals still have something to teach us.

I can't wait.

See you Sunday!

Maria