The Rev. David R. Wilt

St. Francis Day—October 1, 2017

Genesis 1:20-26

Psalm 148:1-5, 7-13

Revelation 5:11-14

Matthew 6:25-29

The Rev. David R. Wilt

It has been a RUFF couple of weeks, hurricanes, involving HOWLing winds, other disasters with HIPPOcaliptic consequences. It seemed as if there was one CATastrophe after another. Then, on top of that, lots of flagging conversation which MOOves us politically one way or the other and FURther divides us.

All in all, it’s been a pretty BAAd couple of weeks. I see fatigue in people eyes. I see people walking about hang DOG and without a lot of PURRpose.

So it is comforting and rejuvenating to PAWS and look at the big picture, and to bless those creatures that in the worst of times bring us comfort and pleasure. We would BEE in a worse state without God’s other living creatures.

I will try not to PARROT what others are saying today, BUTT I think we cannot overestimate OWL much these other creatures in our lives bring us comfort in the storms of life.

I remember perhaps my first pets. They were two ducks, Pat and Mike, who grew to be very large ducks. So large, in fact, that we could not contain them on Main Street in Westernport, MD. And so, my grandfather and I had lots of bonding time chasing Pat and Mike down the street. I was probably about six at the time but that time with my grandfather will stay with me forever.

YEW all have your own stories of how our pets have 2

made a huge difference in our lives.

Another one of Sandy and my pets was a beautiful and yet incorrigible Yellow Lab named Molly. One of our never to be forgotten memories of Molly would be when she escaped with another dog friend and found their way to the Key West Airport and closed the whole operation down while the TSA, Key West Police, and a random State Trooper chased her down the main runway. A mere $100 fine took care of that pet experience.

When we got that call you could have knocked me over with a FEATHER. I KID you not.

PURRhaps YEW would say some people shouldn’t have pets, and YEW may BEE right. For some people pets are like an ELEPHANT in the room, BUTT for many others they are just the CAT’s pajamas.

At the end of the day what I do know is that God’s other creatures are an important part of our lives and a responsibility to protect and defend their very existence in some situations where they are being harvested to extinction.

While these storms have passed the consequences from them are not over and will not be over for a long time. So, we need to take moments like these, when we can, to enjoy the community we have, gain strength from each other. Moments to see how important it is to share with others, and not be PIGGY. Moments to be friendly with each other and not be FOWL. Moments to tolerate one another and not be an ASS.

Hopefully even in the midst of the storms of life we will have occasions to laugh like an HYENA, we will have occasions to MONKEY around and times to reGNU ourselves. 3

Today is not a day to be CARPing at each other or being a BULLy. It is a day to celebrate our existence and to specifically honor our pets that are there for us. Our pets that treat us like loving individuals and not CATTLE.

Our pets are indeed a RAY of sunshine in what has been a couple of very cloudy weeks. They soar like EAGLEs when we are as low as WHALES. They are as gentle as LAMBS even when we behave like SHARKS. They PERCH at our feet even when we rage like GORILLAs. Whether we live in mansions or hovels or CONDORminiums our pets are there for us. And so today we give them blessings and thank God for creating them for us.

Now I know you are probably going APE waiting for me to finish so without FEATHER ado or further HORSING around let us give thanks for this day and for those creations of God that bring joy to our lives as we bless our pets. What GATOR gift has God given us than our pets.

Now I GOAT to sit down, so excuse me while I SLITHER to my seat.