Dog is Love

​  St. Francis' Feast Day was officially on October 4. At St. Paul's, we celebrated it during our Sunday Eucharist. St. Francis is well known for his love of animals. He preached to the birds; he called the sun and moon his brother and sister. Purportedly, he was careful to rescue the worms that became stuck on hard ground after rainstorms.  Not just one or two, but all the worms he could find. He would pick them up and relocate them to softer, safer soil.  There is a tenderness and attentiveness about that story that is inspiring.  It's important to care for creatures smaller than ourselves.
The writer of Psalm 8 praises God for all the creatures and beauties of creation, and it seems to lead him to reflect on the tremendous gift it is to be a part of that whole.  One paraphrase translations puts it this way: "I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous your handmade sky-jewelry, moon and stars mounted in their settings.  Then I look at my micro-self and wonder, Why do you bother with us? Why take a second look our way?"
If worms wrote songs, would they sing about us that way? Would they feel that we love and care for them as God loves and cares for us?  
Now, I don't know if God wants us to rescue worms. But I do know that God rescues us. And it's a pretty equivalent comparison.  When we rescue a dog from the shelter, when we put seed out for the birds, or give our money and time to help protect the earth, I suspect it's another way we keep love going all across the spectrum: from God to Dog.

--- Pastor Rebecca
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