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Home Page
The Rector's Welcome
Worship
Sermons
Music & the Organ
Newsletter
Schedule & Events
History
Programs & Ministries
Tour the Building
Links
Map & Directions
Monthly Calendar
Home Page
The Rector's Welcome
Worship
Sermons
Music & the Organ
Newsletter
Schedule & Events
History
Programs & Ministries
Tour the Building
Links
Map & Directions
Monthly Calendar
Fr. J. D. Ousley
3 October 2004 : St. Francis Day“Imperfection Begins at Home”
In the Name of God: Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier. Amen.
It can be hard to predict which way a social movement is going — whether its influence is increasing, or whether its time is past.
So I don't know what could be said about the movement to protect animals. On the one hand, because of the movement's lobbying efforts, scientific tests using animals have been greatly reduced and are now confined to major human diseases. And animal shelters are getting better; the New York City system is now working toward a no-euthanasia policy, which is a very welcome step.
Admitting these accomplishments, though, we don't hear much about "animal rights." Worries about the environment seem to be human-centered-looking at whether humans will have enough sources of energy or water-rather than at the survival of threatened animal species.
As far as the Church is concerned, promising ideas that were being discussed a few years ago to offer prayers for deceased pets. These and other animal related liturgies seem no longer of interest.
In any event, the continuing importance of how we regard animals can be seen in the relations we as individuals and as a society have with the animals who live in our homes.
Last summer, I was listening to National Public Radio and I heard an interview with a celebrated dog trainer. After the trainer described some of his techniques for working with dogs, he was asked what he thought was the biggest problem he faced as he helped people to care for their animals.
The trainer commented that he was amazed how many people seemed disappointed in their pets.
Some owners felt their dogs wanted too much attention. Other owners complained that however many obedience lessons their dogs were given, the animals still wouldn't do what their owners wanted.
And while the dog trainer understood the frustration the owners felt, he still found their attitudes disturbing. After all, he noted, no animal is perfect-any more than any human is perfect. The trainer felt that owners should expect their animals to have some faults — and they should learn to be content with the pets they had.
If your dog is a little disobedient, or it isn't very cuddly — well, then, that's the dog you've got. You should, in the words of the old song, "Love the one you're with!"
And there is a larger point here — a theological lesson for everyone, whatever their relations to animals. Animals aren't here on earth just for human pleasure. They're a sign of God's creative love.
God made the world out of an abundance of love, so that all his creatures could share that love and in turn embody themselves in the creative force of God. As the Bible says, God created the parts of the universe "and saw that it was good."
The Bible begins with this idea of creation in the Book of Genesis and returns to it again and again. "The earth is the Lord's and all that dwell therein." From sunsets to orchids, from gerbils to elephants — the vast panoply of creation demonstrates to us the exuberant, infinite creativity of God.
A few years ago, activists for animals argued that animals who resided in peoples' homes shouldn't be called, "pets." The term, "pet" seems to suggest an unhealthy power relation: the animal has no interests on its own but simply exists for the pleasure of its owner.
Now perhaps some activists have made too much of the difference in "power relations" between humans and animals. Pets aren't like human slaves. Animals don't have the potential to act freely the way slaves could if they were free.
Slaves, for example, if they are released from bondage earn their own livings and have much richer lives; on the other hand, most domestic animals — if they are put out on the street or released into the wild — fare much worse than they do in homes.
But, I agree with the animal rights activists when they lobby for more protection for pets.
Each year, at the beginning of the summer holidays, thousands of animals are abandoned by the side of the road. The owners don't want to deal with them on vacation. In this case, Laws against such cruelty are needed because pets depend upon humans.
And, again, this relation of dependance provides lessons for all of us, whether we have pets or not. We are reminded that many human relationships also occur between unequal parties. In such cases, the stronger has an obligation to care for the weaker.
In today's Gospel lesson, the disciples ask Jesus to "increase" their faith. And one way God can help us to "increase our faith" is through the gift of animals.
Animals remind us that in the vast network of creation, all living things depend on each other. While my cats rely on me to give them food and water, I depend on cows for milk, and sheep for wool, and so on.
Most of us do recognize the immense value of our fellow living creatures. In fact, it's said of some animal lovers that "they get along better with animals than with people!"
But I don't know that I agree with this statement. I don't think I've ever seen a true case where a person preferred animals to people.
Instead, I've often noticed that people who have relationship problems with other humans also have trouble getting along with their pets!
Happily the reverse is also true: people who have good relations with animals are often the best people to deal with as human beings. (In hiring personnel for the church, I now try to find out if a candidate has pets. It's no coincidence that the five members of our pastoral team here at Incarnation share their homes with a total of seven cats and three dogs!)
Why this correlation between loving animals and loving people? Because charity begins at home. Faith begins at home. Faith begins with God's love; many people, they receive a daily reminder of that love in their companion animals.
If we're sometimes challenged by the idiosyncrasies of our pets — well, those challenges can be a way animals help us to "increase our faith." They push us to be more tolerant, to be more flexible, to be more giving.
Our pets thus remind us of the profound truth of Francis' most famous prayer, that "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."
And now unto that same God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be ascribed as is most justly due all might, majesty, power, dominion and praise, now and forever, Amen.