Today is the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and those who love them. Often people think that animals don't count for much in the spiritual world. Animals don't have souls, they say, and so regarding them highly, etc., is uncalled-for. Since I've been doing short entries highlighting favorite Bible passages lately, I did a search for Bible verses regarding animals for today's post.
“I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you-the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you-every living creature on earth.” Genesis 9: 9-10All these years in the church, and I never realized that God's great covenant with us after the Flood was a covenant with not only people but with animals as well. If Loving Creator regards animals this highly, then obviously treating them kindly and with respect is an important part of being Christian.
St. Francis understood this and his example reminds us to treat not only animals but all nature with respect and caring.
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