This past weekend I was driving and noticed a sign outside a local church, “Blessing of the Animals, Sunday, 2:30 pm.”

Then I remembered that on most Christian calendars, this Friday, October 4, is a day to remember St. Francis of Assisi.  Many churches set aside time that day or the Sunday before or the Sunday after  to bless animals that folks bring to church that day.

We are told that St. Francis wrote a Canticle of the Creatures which contains the expression “All praise to you, Oh Lord, for all these brother and sister creatures.”

Pause for a moment and recall the blessings that pets have brought to you.  These might be pets and animals that still are your companions or maybe ones that are no longer with you.

Given the companionship, joy and even protection our pets can give us, is it any surprise that  many find it good to set aside time to not only recognize what they give to us, but to ask God to bless them?

What blessings might animals bring your way?  You may want to think beyond pets.  What about the song bird?

Be creative in your thinking.  How have the animals of God’s creation been a blessing to you?  What prayer in you does this give rise to?