For the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi

Not long ago, I had the good fortune to again witness the beauty, the grace and the unconditional love of animals.  I visited Canine Assistants in Milton with a friend and parishioner who is deeply involved with the organization.  Canine Assistants is a non-profit organization that trains and provides service dogs to children and adults with physical disabilities, seizure disorders or other special needs.  The organization, founded in 1991, has placed more than 1,500 dogs since it first opened its doors.  Most of the dogs are born, raised and trained at the organization’s farm in Milton.  The service dogs are also used to help children in the Atlanta area learn how to read.  Children who are uncomfortable reading in front of their peers are at ease reading in the nurturing presence of dogs—giving the children the confidence they need to overcome academic challenges.

These are just a couple of examples of the way God uses animals to express God’s love for humanity.  In the Bible, we read how animals have played a role in salvation history—from the animals that were saved from the flood and then made a part of the covenant with Noah to the paschal lamb which calls to mind the Passover sacrifice and deliverance from the bondage of Egypt.   

St. Francis of Assisi, whose feast day is next Saturday, is known as the patron of animals and the environment.  It is believed that Francis communicated with animals as if they were human—even making peace with a ferocious wolf who was threatening an entire town.

 

St. Francis believed that all of creation was made by God and therefore was good.  He invited all of creation, even “Brother Sun and Sister Moon,” as he called them, to give constant praise to God.