God in all things: Blessing of the Animals in Kaikōura
Written by Courtnay Wilson.
Originally published at: https://www.nelsonanglican.nz/korero/blessing-of-the-animals-kaikoura
With additional photos provided by Courtnay Wilson.
The annual Blessing of the Animals service at St. Peter's Anglican Church was delightfully chaotic. Human voices rose up in song alongside dog voices and cat voices. Tulip, the cat, followed Reverend Courtnay to church and taunted the dogs who were present.
The service opened with the following words from Meister Eckhart, a thirteenth century Christian mystic:
"Apprehend God in all things,
for God is in all things.
Every single creature is full of God, and is a book about God.
Every creature is a word of God.
If I spent enough time with the tiniest creature- even a caterpillar-
I would never have to prepare a sermon
so full of God
is every creature"
As an Eco Church, we take seriously what's written in the Book of Job:
"But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?" (Job 12:7-9).
Indeed, we learn about God not only through the book of the Bible but also through the book of creation itself.
