by Christine Sine
St Francis Feast Day is only a few days away, October 4th, and many churches, are getting ready for a blessing of the animals at Sunday’s service. St Andrews Episcopal church already did their pet blessing service last week. This practice is growing in popularity across all denominations. Even some zoos are getting into the act.
This began as a Catholic celebration associated with St Francis, but has become extremely popular for people of many traditions in the last few years. We are discovering more and more the benefits of pets in our lives and society. Keeping pets is increasingly understood to be good for us. Having a cat around the house can cut the risk of heart attack by almost 50% and dog owners tend to have lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Those of us who are animal lovers have known for a long time that animals buffer us against stress and anxiety. All this from a recent ABC News article . Interestingly kids who have pets when they are young are less likely to get allergies too. So blessing our beloved pets at church, in the synagogue or even in our animal oriented institutions, is not just a fun thing to do, it is acknowledging their importance to both us and God.
Here are some other good resources I have found for litanies on blessing animals.
St Francis Blessing Liturgy by Rev. Robert Morrison and Rev. Richard J. Fairchild
Ritualwell.org has a beautiful Jewish animal blessing
And for something fresh – this contemporary hymn by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette which I have only recently come across.You will need to copy and paste this link to listen to the song and view the video. https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=X-1R3K1UJsM&si=O7NUhbi_CXIdCHHL
St Francis of Assisi – Prayers and Thoughts.
I am not an expert on St Francis but part of what I like about him is that he was very quirky, probably schizophrenic, and always makes me aware that God uses the most unusual people in incredible ways.
St Francis believed that nature itself was the mirror of God. It is probable that he spent time at Bobbio Monastery, a Celtic monastery near Assisi and they may have influenced his love for creation. Like many of the Celtic saints, he called all creatures his “brothers” and “sisters”, and even preached to the birds and supposedly persuaded a wolf to stop attacking some locals if they agreed to feed the wolf. In his “Canticle of the Creatures” (“Praises of Creatures” or “Canticle of the Sun”), he mentioned the “Brother Sun” and “Sister Moon”, the wind and water, and “Sister Death”. This prayer (the real St Francis Prayer) was paraphrased by William Henry Draper in the beautiful English hymn All Creatures of Our God and King.
May God bless us with restless discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships so that we may live deep within our hearts. Amen.
May God bless us with holy anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people so that we may work for justice, freedom and peace. Amen.
May God bless us with the gift of tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that we may reach out our hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy. Amen.
May God bless us with enough foolishness to believe that we can make a difference in this world, so that we can do what others claim cannot be done.: To bring justice and kindness
To all our children and the poor. Amen.
This prayer is often associated with St Francis, but like other prayers attributed to him it is not actually written by him. It is still my favourite “Franciscan style prayer”, but was actually written by Benedictine Sister Ruth Fox of Sacred Heart Monastery in Richaldton ND. For more information check out Paul Neely’s post that gave me this information and the link to Sister Ruth’s full blessing).
Another prayer most commonly associated with St Francis was also not written by him but is generally believed to be only about 100 years old, penned by an anonymous French writer as Daniel Horan explains in Living the Prayer of St Francis With All Creation but is still a good reminder of all he stood for.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.
I particularly love this rendition written for international women’s day a couple of years ago:
A Franciscan Prayer for International Women’s Day.
Paul Neeley at has posted some beautiful songs derived from St Francis Prayer:
The Brilliance – Open Up is a beautiful song.
A rock version of St Francis Prayer
Prayer for St Francis’ Feast
Francis, the destitute and lowly, enters heaven a rich man, acclaimed by the songs of angels!
Lord God, you made Saint Francis of Assisi
Christ-like in his poverty and humility.
Help us so to walk in his ways that,
with joy and love,
we may follow Christ your Son,
and be united to you.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Francis, the destitute and lowly, enters heaven a rich man, acclaimed by the songs of angels!
And finally a beautiful song/prayer/poem of praise from the Franciscan Friars.
The Praises of God
Lord God:
you alone are holy,
you who work wonders!
You are strong, you are great,
you are the Most High,
you are the almighty King,
you, holy Father, King of heaven and earth.
Lord God: you are Three and you are One,
you are goodness, all goodness,
you are the highest Good,
Lord God, living and true.
You are love and charity, you are wisdom,
you are humility, you are patience,
you are beauty, you are sweetness,
you are safety, you are rest, you are joy,
you are our hope
and our delight,
you are justice, you are moderation
you are all our wealth
and riches overflowing.
You are beauty, you are gentleness,
you are our shelter, our guard
and our defender,
you are strength, you are refreshment,
you are our hope.
you are our faith.
you are our love,
you are our complete consolation,
you are our life everlasting,
great and wonderful Lord,
all powerful God, merciful Savior!
Amen.