Blessing of the Animals
I didn’t even see him. There were lots of rocks on the path and so I must have just stepped over him. But my husband noticed and called, “Hey, look at this!” I turned around and trudged back up the path – and then I saw him…. It was a little bunny quivering with fear sitting on the path and trying to look like a rock. He succeeded with me. But now he was shaking in fear because he couldn’t get out. He was so little and the ruts of the path were too steep and deep for him to climb out. He trembled at the sight of what must have looked to him as two giant creatures. He did not know it was his lucky day because we had no intention of making him into a tiny Hasenpfeffer stew.
Instead, we just stood there and looked at him for a moment and asked him, “Why are you in the path instead of hiding in the bushes? Don’t you know that you are lunchmeat for a hawk or any bird of prey that flies by?” The bunny didn’t say anything. It just shook with fear.
I’m not a big fan of the rabbits who eat my garden plants and vegetables. But this poor little creature seemed so helpless and I felt strangely responsible for him. I wondered, should I help him out of the path? I took a step closer to him.
And then, all at once, he jumped on my boot and ran through my legs and continued scurrying down the path until, finally, he came to a place in the path that was flatter and he was able to jump off the path and escape into the brush.
In our Gospel lesson, Jesus challenges his disciples to notice the birds of the air and the flowers of the field and to see the way that God cares for them. And, by extension, the way God cares for us too.
I don’t know what happened to that bunny after we left, but I was reminded that the first step of caring for God’s creatures might be to notice them so that I don’t step on them!
So how do we properly care for our fellow creatures?
In Genesis, it says that God gave human beings the charge of ruling over all of the creatures of the land, sea and sky. But in the past, that has often been interpreted as “subjugating” and using to our own benefit all of the other creatures. But with the power to rule also comes responsibility. God has given us power over but also responsibility to care for all that fly, swim, walk or crawl. And when we don’t exercise our rule with care and responsibility, it isn’t good for the creatures or, ultimately, for us.
I was walking by Lake of the Isles the other day and saw two different people walking their dogs. The first man wasn’t walking – he had the dog on a very long leash and was actually running, chasing his dog around the lake. They looked like they were having fun until suddenly, the dog went one way around a tree and the young man went the other. After they untangled themselves, I thought certainly the young man had learned his lesson. But no sooner had they started down the path again than the dog notices a duck on the water and he practically drags the young man into the lake!
By contrast, the other man who was walking his dog had the dog on a shorter leash and the dog was right at his side. Almost under his breath, the man said, “pace,” and immediately, the dog looked up at the man and matched his pace. The man changed speed a couple of time and the dog followed, happily looking up to the man to receive a smile of praise.
Clearly, the second man was in charge, he was “ruling,” but in a manner that demonstrated responsibility and care for the animal. This man inspired me with the way he cared for his four-footed companion.
God has entrusted us with the care of the land, water and all of earth’s creatures. So let us not only notice them but care for all of God’s creation in a healthy and respectful way. After all, the animals, birds and all that swim in the sea and creep on the land are God’s creatures too.
And we would be wise to listen to them. As John writes in the book of Revelation, “I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing” praises to God.” For they too have a song to sing and praises to proclaim to God. But, maybe we just don’t know their language.
On this day we celebrate creation and bless both the animals that we live with and care for as pets and the animals, birds and fish that God cares for in the wild. Let us have notice the wonderful variety of God’s creatures and seek to listen, care for and appreciate all creatures – great and small. Amen.
Sunday, April 16, 2023 + Faith-Lilac Way Lutheran + Pastor Pam Stalheim Lane