Sept. 13 – Season of Creation 1: “But Ask the Animals…”

You may have noticed in recent days that the geese are flocking into formation and flying overhead. Is this the beginning of their long, miraculous migration, or perhaps just a practice run? The monarchs that have been drawn to the butterfly bush on my deck for the last while, awe-inspiring in the way that they flutter and float, float and flutter, they too seem to have left for warmer climes. What ancient rhythms call these species? What ingrown knowing do they follow?

This Sunday begins the Season of Creation, a time in the church year where we pay special attention to God’s good Creation and our part within it. Our guide for these weeks is a brief passage in the Book of Job. Here it is in its entirety:

‘But ask the animals, and they will teach you;    

the birds of the air, and they will tell you;

ask the plants of the earth, and they will teach you;    

and the fish of the sea will declare to you.

Who among all these does not know    

that the hand of the Lord has done this?

In his hand is the life of every living thing    

and the breath of every human being.

So, this week, we explore the first line: “But ask the animals, and they will teach you…” In fact, we will have an opportunity to engage with animal friends firsthand, as this week’s service will include a Blessing of the Animals. Well-behaved animal friends are welcome to this service on the labyrinth (weather permitting), and pictures of animal friends are welcome too. We’ll bless them all! This service will be augmented by musical friends too – Janet Whittington, Robert Franklin and Dominik Franken have been working up some special music!

To prepare, read the passage above and ponder the following:

1.      What’s one thing that you’ve learned from an animal?

2.      What are the creatures of the Earth saying to humanity right now?

Image: Marvin Filmaker, pexels.com