Opening Words
Love all (the) creation,
the whole universe and each grain of sand.
Love every leaflet,
every ray of (the) light.
Love the beasts,
love the plants,
love every creature.
When you love every creature,
you will understand
the mystery of (Life) in created things.

Parade of Animals
Today is October 11, 2009. It is National Coming Out Day, which, for those who might not know, began in 1988 as a way to raise awareness of the lives of people who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex. It is a celebration and a call for justice. In Washington, D.C. this morning, people gather to march for equality. Equality in all matters civil in all fifty states. For marriage equality so that people who love one another, of whatever gender, can marry and receive the public blessing of society. Such speaks, not only of justice, but of love. ; Today, in a monastery near Ellenville, monastics gather to celebrate the 83rd birthday of Thich Nhat Hanh, the Vietnamese Zen Master who lost his country and went into exile because he called for peace in the midst of the Vietnam war. Thay's message over the years has been, and continues to be, a consistent call for peace, compassion and understanding. It is about interconnection. Such a way arises out of love and results in justice.

We UU's also stand on the side of love, as we see it. We also affirm and promote “respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part," and in that web we find a unity of being that may have sacred qualities. Arising out of our awareness of interconnection comes our work for justice. Thus today, National Coming Out Day, March for Equality Day, Thich Nhat Hanh's birthday, we come to honor, to celebrate, to express our love for animals. All as a part of the greater whole.

"It makes sense to remember that these animals we invite into our homes, as well as the wild ones we invite out (when they get in), are our brothers and sisters in the world. We dance a dance on this web with them—sometimes on their terms, but most often, to be honest, on our terms. . . . To know ourselves One, a sacred Unity, we must be able to discern the ways in which non-human animals, . . . are distinct (from we human animals) and have distinct and equally valuable gifts.

Today we honor our animal siblings, with whom we share this beautiful and fragile world, for their inherent worth and dignity as co-equal and co-creative beings; for their beauty, their expressiveness, their hopefulness, their joy in living, their companionable habits and their patience with our human arrogance, our human assumptions. And we come together today to renew our pledge to be faithful in the relationships we choose to create with our animal companions: to be compassionate, attentive, caring and care ful multilingual respecters of persons; to listen for the music, to look with love into the eyes of our dancing partners, and to dance the dance very well.” (The Reverend Margie Allen)

First, then, let us welcome the animals who have come with us today, either in person, or in a photograph, or through a symbol. Today we're here for love. I could not bring my dog, Evie, chocolate lab of exuberance, today because there was little to no chance she would just sit quietly and not totally disrupt all of us. However, I would like to bring her here via poetry -- an adaptation of Mary Oliver's love song to her dog Percy.

Little Dog's Rhapsody in the Night (Percy  Three)
(She) puts (her) cheek against mine
and makes small, expressive sounds.
And when I'm awake, or awake enough


(she) turns upside down, (her) four paws
In the air
and (her) eyes dark and fervent.


Tell me you love me, (she) says.


Tell me again.


Could there be a sweeter arrangement? Over and over
(she) ge ts to ask it.
I get to tell.

People come forward and introduce their companions.


Let us say together the Wish for All of Creation by Nancy Cronk.
We stand in wonder
of the beauty of creation.  
The birds in the air, 
the fish in the sea, 
the insects we might not see,
and our friends, the animals.
We thank them for the beauty they add to our lives,
and the gifts they provide to us daily.
We offer them our love 
and protection.
We wish them a peaceful existence, 
and a life free from suffering.
We commit our lives to the responsible stewardship 
of these great creatures
and the Earth we have inherited.
M ay our works be noble,
and our hearts be ever-mindful of these gifts.

Song #324 Where My Free Spirit Leads

Meditation

Joys and Sorrows

Offering and Offertory

Honoring the Animals
I can sit beside water, just sit and watch and listen and smell, taste and touch it. I can sit near an animal, just sit, and watch, and listen and feel its presence. This summer I had the privilege of following humpback whales as they breached and twisted and turned like disco dancers before flopping down again on the ocean's surface. Or emerged, with huge mouths open, out of the water to feed. This summer I held my breath, when in my kayak I crept closer and closer to the brown cormorants perched upon a cypress stump. I met a kingfisher for the first time. I found the feathers of a swan. I watched a seal play in the ocean, in sight of a shark.

The blessing of animals today, for me, is a mutual blessing, a sign of goodwill. There is some combination of love, wonder, awe, fear, consciousness of great differences, and wordless connection of spirit in my relationship, or even observation, of animals. I love to be in the presence of animals, even when I fear what they might do. I would not idealize or romanticize the life of animals. It can be bloody and deadly. Yet the honoring and blessing of animals today is about love, a love that arises out of our interconnection of spirit.

How can we honor and bless animals? We have already found the spiritual or theological level when we recognize animals as beings whose lives intersect and connect with ours; as beings who have inherent value because all of life has inherent value. We honor our interconnections and respect our mutual dependence.

For some of us, blessing animals takes place on an emotional level. It bespeaks our love for the friends that cheer our lives. It bespeaks our recognition of the ways in which that love enriches us. Let us remember also, those animals we have loved who no longer grace us with their presence. Let us remember and if you wish, as we sit together in silence, softly speak their names. Micky Shorr reads her poem.

There are many ways to honor and bless animals. Another way is to remember those that have become extinct. Many species that used to roam the earth are no longer here. Many others are endangered. What is our part in that? Could it have been different? Let us remember. And let us learn to better share the earth and care more carefully for life.

For some of us, blessing animals takes place on an eth ical level. There are numerous ways to honor animals on this level. Many people make sure their companion animals do not have babies that cannot live healthy and safe lives. Some people choose to protest factory farming, or not to eat the flesh of animals or cut down on the amount of meat they eat, or only eat organically raised animals. Others choose not to wear animal fur or skin as a way to resist the definition of humanity as dominator of the creation. As a way to protect the health of the planet and use our resources more fairly. Many would replace domination with stewardship, power-over with partnership, human solipsism with compassion. as an expression of our desire for the well-being of animals because in our judgement, that is the right thing to do. It is the necessary thing to do because in a very real way we are all in this together.

For some of us, honoring animals means we, as human beings, take responsibility for the cruel and short-sighted ways we have treated animals and make an intention to do differently. Perhaps we will find more ways to extend our kindness to all animals, realizing that this means different things to different people. For some it might involve not using products tested on animals; for others it might involve educating themselves about circuses, rodeos, zoos, aquariums, gaming and making careful, informed choices about what to patronize. For some it might mean veterinary school. It means, for each of us, looking for ways in which we personally can offer respect and compassion to animals and encourage others to do so as well. Today we bless and honor animals everywhere as a sign of respect and greeting, and as a reminder for us to live mindful of our connections with all living beings. On this day, when so many stand, in so many ways, for love and for justice, let us stand for the love of animals. May we remake our lives with them, refresh our spirit of giving to, and receiving from, them, and deepen, ever deepen, our loving and just connections with all living beings.

Song #175 We Celebrate the Web of Life

Closing words: from the Nipata Sutta
In safety and in Bliss
May all creatures be of a blissful heart
Whatever breathing beings there may be
Frail or firm . . . long or big . . . short or small
Seen or unseen, dwelling far or near
Existing or yet seeking to exist
May all creatures be of a blissful heart.