Animal Welfare Sunday Sermon
extract from ther sermon delivered at St Mary's
October 2008
Do you have a pet ? Yes, I do too. Do you eat meat ? yes, I do too. Aren't we a mass of contradictions ?!
Today is Animal Welfare Sunday, and we are asked to think about something which we tend to take for granted, that we have relegated well down the list of importance, something that we take for granted - the welfare of animals.
There is a very tricky philosophical question. It gets harder to answer the more you think about it. The question is what is the animal world ? We would have to say that it is a different world to ours' - it is "other" than us and not something we can easily pigeon hole. We may think that is a world inferior to ours, that the animals are there for our pleasure ..... but how do we justify treating the animal world like that ? And yet whilst we use and consume animals we are fascinated by them and watch their beauty and mystery and strength on television.
We can justify our positions by Biblical texts. There is, to be sure, a tradition which allows for the use of animals but it is balanced by a tradition which has them wanting God's justice and mercy too - as vulnerable creatures.
Animals play an important part in many biblical stories, often playing a metaphorical part in important stories. Sheep become a way of expressing God's concern for a defenceless and lost people. The dove plays the part of a messenger to Mary, and appears at Jesus' Baptism. The birds help us to understand God's love even for the smallest and moist numerous.
What does God think about animals ? Many would say not a lot ! Creation is for our use. For Americans eating the flesh of animals is a sign of our freedom, prosperity and manhood (see Stephen H Webb in On God and Dogs: A Christian Theology of Compassion for Animals Oxford: OUP 2002).
But we can learn a lot from animals. Christian Saints have been alert to this throughout history and figures such as S Francis and S Macarius of Alexandria (pictured above) have shone with that mystical joy at the very existence of other creatures and a grasp of God's love for every bit of creation.
Macarius was sittting down one day when a hyena brought hinm a blind pup. Following the example of Jesus Macarius spat on his fingers and touched the eyes of the blind pup. Immediately her sight was restored and the mother hyena was very happy and went away. The next day the mother hyena returned with the skin of a large sheep for Macarius as a present. He was extreemely upset for the saint did not want to see any animal harmed. He made the hyena promise not to kill any more and if she needed food she was to come to Macarius for food and he would feed her and her pups, which she did from time to time.
There are many stories about St Francis and animals. He famously blessed the wolf and persuaded him from terrorising the people. He would talk to the birds and they would respond to his request for quietness. He would cahracteristically pick up the worms from the road and put them safely at the side so that no-one would step on them.
These traditions go hand in hand with God's love for the poorest in human society, and are driven by a deep valuing of all of creation. Our Collect today for the 20th Sunday after Trinity is approriate - it is addressed to "God the giver of life" and asks "that we may share with the whole creation the joys of eternal life" . I pray that we have that same spirit of love for all creation, for we are of it, and with all animals, are created by a God of Love.