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Blessings and prayers for animals.
Thoughts?

Meh but harmless.

Wife: I honestly don’t see any problem with praying for an animal. Perhaps you need the animal for milk or something else like that, or perhaps a child just really liked their pet. God doesn’t only wait for the really important prayers.

Yesterday a child of mine lost their pocket knife in a busy parking lot at a sales event, and we realized it when we were on the other side of town, and had to finish one more errand before we could go check on it, and we prayed if it was God‘s well, we could find it, and sure enough, we went in and they said they were wondering who might have lost a pocket knife in the parking lot. I was worried with all the people coming and going that someone would just think it was cool, and that nobody would bother coming back for it, or it would get mixed up with a bunch of sale items if it was in the store.

As far as it goes, God sees the sparrow fall, the Shepherd went out for the one lost sheep of 99, David killed a bear and a lion to protect his sheep and it seemed like the Hebrews actually did have a liking for sheep. I don’t see point in praying for their salvation, but I don’t think it humanizes an animal just to mention it in prayer.

I ask for a blessing on animals. Well dead animals. Which I’m about to eat.

When the focus is on God and the motive is genuine need, it seems appropriate. I have seen pictures of churches practicing such an event and it looked more like a pet show than anything else.

barnhart wrote: ↑Sun Aug 09, 2026 6:58 am When the focus is on God and the motive is genuine need, it seems appropriate. I have seen pictures of churches practicing such an event and it looked more like a pet show than anything else.

Wife: looked up the practice, which is associated with Saint Francis day, and I agree that it’s just plain weird. I still think that children and adults can pray for healing for their pets, or pray to have pets (both acknowledging God’s will be done), but making a service out of it and sprinkling water is out there.

I will hardly agree that St Francis’ association wit h an8mals has been taken to an extreme. People bringing pets to church for a blessing is wrong. Not just in terms of Godliness but in the mis focus of where our focus should be. Equally, Ido not condone abuse of animals, for that is a sin and misuse of Gods creation. People seem to naturally miss finding the right balance on so many things.

JayP wrote: ↑Sun Aug 09, 2026 11:04 am I will hardly agree that St Francis’ association wit h an8mals has been taken to an extreme. People bringing pets to church for a blessing is wrong. Not just in terms of Godliness but in the mis focus of where our focus should be. Equally, Ido not condone abuse of animals, for that is a sin and misuse of Gods creation. People seem to naturally miss finding the right balance on so many things.

Wasn't that historically a thing done for blessing for the new season for livestock animals, etc., as opposed to the modern urban concept of animals existing basically for pets?

The former makes sense; the latter is highly questionable, and indeed the relationship of modern humans to their pets is quite disordered.

R7ehr wrote: ↑Sat Aug 08, 2026 12:11 am I ask for a blessing on animals. Well dead animals. Which I’m about to eat.

The original meaning of the "Gospel of all Creatures."