This is the final Sunday in the mini-season of the Christian year called Creation Time. While in pastoral ministry I observed Creation Time for several years before it was adopted somewhat formally by the United Church and other denominations. I say "somewhat" because the ecumenical lectionary doesn't really devote itself to Creation themes during the five or six Sundays of Septermber through to the Feast of St. Francis, which is October 4th.
Most Protestants are aware of Francis as a remarkable, holy figure not only in Catholicism but for all of humanity. His compassion for the poor and dispossessed drew hundreds, perhaps thousands of followers during his lifetime and the establishment of a Franciscan religious order as well as his canonization occurred with unprecdented dispatch.
Francis is also the patron saint of animals and the environment, the latter designation in 1979 during the pontificate of John Paul II. The current pope, Francis is a Jesuit, but he was the first to choose Francis as his namesake because of the 13th century monk's spiritual sensibilities.
Tomorrow is October 4th and in different times there would be services to bless pets either today or on the actual Feast of St. Francis. I loved these services through the years because they were so tactile and tender-hearted -- people love their companion animals!
Whatever happens in worship services today, we can give thanks to the Creator for the goodness of Creation and we can renew our commitment to caring for what many Indigenous communities call Turtle Island.
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