“We named her, Katana. Katana means ‘little,’ in Hebrew.” He and Julie were Jewish. “She never grew to the normal size for her breed,” Larry said.
When Katana came home, Jon’s two kids immediately began reaching out to her. The kids were little, too, and of course they wanted to hold their new cat. She would come near, only to then quickly run away to a corner or under a bed. The kids were patient, and in time, Katana would sit briefly on one of their laps. The kids knew not to pet her very much, at first, just to allow her to stand or sit on their laps, getting comfortable. If they touched her too much, you could tell that the cat felt trapped, and she would run away. But the kids learned. And they learned to love Katana deeply—and over several years—eventually could pet her a whole lot.
Last year, at the age of fourteen, Katana became very ill. She lost a lot of weight and had trouble moving around the house. They took her to the vet, who said that the time had come. So with great sadness, they allowed the vet to use an injection to bring Katana’s suffering to an end. The kids cried and so did Jon. But they remembered her beautiful eyes and how she seemed to understand so well how much they loved her.
“I still miss her when I think about it,” Jon says. “And I know the kids miss her friendship all the time. Katana helped them to see that being vulnerable is normal and just fine.”
I’m sure that most of us have our own memories of being profoundly grief-stricken at the death of a beloved pet. These are not childish concerns, but the mature reflections of loving Christians.
Many of us prefer to pose the question “Will I see my cat in heaven?” in broader spiritual terms. There is more involved in this question than simply wondering if we will ever be reunited with a loved animal. For instance, does God’s plan of salvation include only humans, or does it include animals, too? In even broader terms, does God intend the whole created world to be saved?
As a Franciscan friar for over fifty years, I am familiar with the stories of St. Francis of Assisi and his close relationship with animals, and these stories have informed the way that I view these things. Perhaps you’ve heard the stories of this brown-robed friar preaching to the birds, releasing Brother Rabbit from a trap, or letting Sister Raven serve as his “alarm clock” to awaken him for early morning prayer. I’ve known for a long time that historians have credited Francis with composing one of the first great poems in the Italian language—a poem, or hymn, usually entitled The Canticle of the Creatures. In this hymn, sometimes known as The Canticle of Brother Sun, Francis invites all his brother and sister creatures to praise their Creator—Brother Sun and Sister Moon, Brother Fire and Sister Water, as well as Sister Earth, our mother, with all her various fruits and vividly colored flowers.
Some thirty years ago I came to the conclusion, which I’ve never abandoned, that St. Francis came to see that all creatures form one family of creation. Maybe that conclusion is obvious to you, but for me this idea dawned quite gradually. The conviction has grown stronger and stronger, and this book has grown out of that conviction, and explores the implications of it. What would it mean if all creatures were one family? How would it affect us? How would it change our understanding about God, and about how we relate to God and to each other?
Three Prayers of Blessing
FOR ANY ANIMAL, FISH, BIRD, OR OTHER CREATURE
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION
[Christ] is before all things,
and in him all things hold together. —Col. 1:17
Gather your family and friends together for these blessings—it is good to have as much of the family of God present as possible. Insert the name of your animal companion into these prayers.
For Any of God’s Creatures
Blessed are you, Lord God,
Maker of all living creatures.
On the fifth and sixth days of creation,
you called forth fish in the sea,
birds in the air, and animals on the land.
You inspired St. Francis to call all animals
his brothers and sisters.
We ask you to bless this animal (these animals)
gathered about us.
By the power of your love,
enable him or her (them) to live according to your plan.
May we always praise you for all your beauty in creation.
Blessed are you, Lord our God, in all your creatures.
Amen.
For One or More Sick Creatures
Heavenly Creator,
you made all things for your glory
and made us caretakers of this creature
(these creatures) under our care.
Restore to health and strength this animal
(this pet) that you have entrusted to us.
Keep this animal (this pet)
always under your loving protection.
Blessed are you, Lord God,
And holy is your name for ever and ever. Amen.
For an Animal That Has Died or Is About to Die
Loving God,
our beloved pet and companion, (name),
is on its final journey.
We will miss (name) dearly
because of the joy and affection
(name) has given to us.
Bless (name) and give him/her peace.
May your care for (name) never die.
We thank you for the gift
that (name) has been to us.
Give us hope that in your great kindness
you may restore (name) in your heavenly kingdom
according to your wisdom, which goes
beyond our human understanding. Amen.
Annabelle
Annabelle was shot when she was a kitten and lived with two pellets in her spine. We rescued her at age two, and once she was sure she was safe and loved, she always looked out for people who might need extra affection and company.
1
And It Was Very Good
In the earliest verses of Genesis, darkness covered everything until God created light to separate the darkness from the light. “And God saw that the light was good.”
Soon we read that God separated the earth from the seas. “And God saw that it was good.” Then God added vegetation, plants, trees, and fruit. “And God saw that it was good.” On the fourth day, God put two great lights in the sky: the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night, thus separating light from darkness. “And God saw that it was good.” These two great lights, which St. Francis would call “Brother Sun” and “Sister Moon,” have contributed enormously to the well-being and enjoyment