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Karen Hollis | June 14, 2026 Animal Blessing
Genesis 1: 20-25 Then God said, “Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.” So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that scurries and swarms in the water, and every sort of bird—each producing offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply. Let the fish fill the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.” And evening passed and morning came, marking the fifth day. Then God said, “Let the earth produce every sort of animal, each producing offspring of the same kind—livestock, small animals that scurry along the ground, and wild animals.” And that is what happened. God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to produce offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good.
Job 12:7-10
“Just ask the animals, and they will teach you.
Ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.
Speak to the earth, and it will instruct you.
Let the fish in the sea speak to you.
For they all know
that my disaster has come from the hand of the Lord.
For the life of every living thing is in his hand,
and the breath of every human being.
Let us pray . . .
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be reflections of your word to us today, in Christ’s name we pray. Amen
Like many of you, I’m an animal person through and through. I grew up in a home that welcomed animals, not all at once, but over the years we hatched chicks (photo), we had a dog, rabbits, birds, cats (so many cats), fish, and an iguana. Later I had more cats, a horse, who never lived with me, but was a huge part of my life, and of course, Joy. I’ve also had amazing connections with animals that lasted only a moment. Once I watched a sunset with an eagle. My friends and I stood stunned as a whole pod of orcas rounded the rocky point on which we were standing. Years later my husband and I listened to 2 whales sleeping in the darkness. One morning I watched a wasp wake up, do her morning routine of stretching and bathing before flying off to start her day. And we had the canoe out one day and a seal popped their head up in front of us, turned toward us and went (surprise face). That’s when I learned that (surprise face) is universal.
It has been moments like these over the years that have helped me to shift my perspective from a human-centric world to one that is shared by all creatures, all different, and all good.
Martin Buber famously wrote about the I/thou relationship. He says using the word “it” reduces something to an object, to something that is bound and finite. But “when Thou is spoken, there is no thing. Thou has no bounds.” Thou affirms the belovedness and divine spark in each of us, 2 legged, 4 legged, wings and scales alike. Thou is the moment you gaze into your pet’s eyes and they gaze back. Not only does every creature contain the divine spark, each has something unique to reveal and to teach the whole about our common creator.
Douglas Wood teaches this in his marvelous book “Old Turtle.” God is a runner like gazelle, a hunter like lion, gentle as robin, powerful as bear, wise as old turtle.1 God is also loyal and devoted like dog and beyond logic like cat. When we welcome these lovely creatures into our homes, we are invited to see a unique expression of the divine up close.
One expression of the divine I journeyed with in this way was my tabby cat Charlie. He looked similar to the kitty in the photo. I met Charlie some 20 years ago when I left my car windows down at the property where I kept my horse. When I returned to my car, I would find him curled up inside, next to the back window, soaking up the sunshine. I always felt so bad removing him before getting on my way. Charlie was feral, but well socialized. The people who owned the property didn’t want another cat, so one day I didn’t kick him out of my car. I thought I would keep him indoors for a couple of days so he would know where he lived. But he was having none of it. He paced and howled and refused to use the litter box. He howled for hours and hours, so I finally showed him the cat door. Charlie was his own person. He was affectionate and snuggly, also had an edge to him and clear boundaries. He was gone for 2-3 days at a time. I think he visited neighbours and hunted in the forest behind our house. When he came home, he would sleep for a solid day. Charlie made it clear from the beginning that he wouldn’t belong to me. He belonged to himself, but he wanted to be in relationship. He ate the food I offered, even though he could feed himself. He slept in my home (in soft cozy spaces, also bookshelves, cubby holes, and any place sunny) even though he could sleep anywhere. He seemed to appreciate companionship we shared, knowing and being known, loving and being loved. He wasn’t content to exist only in the wild, he also wanted relationship and a home.
We give thanks this morning for these relationships that transcend species, where we share together the universal language of love. The relationships that remind us we are all beloved. Thanks be to God for those who journey with us and feel like home. Amen.