Animal blessing

Animal blessings are happening all over the world this weekend for the Feast of St. Francis, the patron saint of animals. Here is my animal blessing prayer:

___
May we remember that humanity is but one small, fragile strand and interdependent web of life.

May we remember that we human beings are not the only ones created to look at flowers, to taste cool water, to listen to the wind, and to feel the earth beneath our feet.

May we remember that what befalls the earth befalls all who live on her lovely shores.

May we never forget that to harm the Earth is to scorn the Creator.

We pray for the animals who are our companions.

We pray for the wildlife displaced as we develop land for human use.

We pray for the animals who work for us, including the seeing-eye dog, the carriage horse, and the laboratory rat.

We pray for animals who are bought and sold, animals who live in cages, and animals who live free.

We pray for animals indigenous to this particular place, including [name a few species].

We pray for the animals who have made our lives possible by becoming food and clothing for us.

We pray for endangered species, including the giant panda and the California condor, and we remember the dinosaurs, passenger pigeons, and other extinct species.

We pray for all human beings who have felt degraded by being compared to animals.

God, we know that you hear all or prayers, those spoken and those that we hold silently in our hearts. We claim your loving presence with us now in the name of the One who created all animals. Amen.

___
My animal blessing prayer is included in “Equal Rites: Lesbian and Gay Worship, Ceremonies, and Celebrations.

Animals are important in the lives of many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and queer people and our allies. Dogs and cats often become family members.

St. Francis of Assisi was an animal-loving saint who talked with birds, befriended wolves and called all animals “brother” and “sister.” His life story will be posted here on his feast day, Oct. 4, with an emphasis on his male-to-male friendships.

_____
Related link:
Blessing Our Pets: In The Spirit of St. Francis And Judaism at Huffington Post (10/2/2011)

Image credit:

"St. Austremonius with the wild beasts" from the Church of Saint Austremonius in Issoire, Auvergne, France, 1897 (Wikimedia Commons)

Animals make peace at Christmas

Peaceable Kingdom by Edward Hicks

Animals often symbolize peace at Christmastime -- from the dove to the ox and donkey in the stable where Jesus was born. Animals are important in the lives of many LGBT people, and sometimes become our “surrogate children,” so I gladly devote this Christmas post to animals.

Jesus tells the story of his birth to animals in the following scene from my novel “Jesus in Love.”

Another vision of animals living in harmony is the painting “Peaceable Kingdom” by Edward Hicks, a 19th-century American folk painter and Quaker minister. Hicks’ art is set to music in a video by James Hilden-Minton, a financial analyst and theology student who writes short contemplative songs for churches and spiritual groups.

Jesus is so in tune with nature that he can converse with animals in my novel “Jesus in Love.” While the book is known for exploring Jesus’ bisexual and trangender feelings, many readers say that this retelling of the Christmas story is one of their favorite scenes. The following scene takes place during Jesus’ wilderness fast.

.............................................

The cave was filled with animals and angels. The angels were like snatches of melody or wisps of light, singing a prophecy from Isaiah that I had loved since childhood. As they sang, Isaiah’s vision materialized right before my eyes and I was part of it: “The wolf shall live with the lamb. The leopard and the young goat shall lie down together while the lion cub makes friends with the calf, with a little child to guide them. The baby shall play near the cobra’s hole. Nobody will
be hurt or injured on my holy mountain, for the earth will be flooded with the knowledge of God as water fills the sea.”…

The scene reminded me of a story that Mom and Papa-Joe told me about my birth, so I tried to share it with the animals. “I was born in a stable, a place kind f like this cave,” I began. It was tricky translating my thoughts into the vibrations of so many different species at once. Some understood more than others.

“Animals were with me when I was born. There were some like you...and you...and you.” I pointed at the sheep, the goats, the donkeys, and the oxen. “After I was born, I slept in a manger, a place where animals ate their food.”

“Food!” Everyone was interested in this part of my story. We talked about food for a long time, until the sun began to set.

“You are like food. You make me feel good,” Old Snake said to me, and the others sounded their agreement.

_________

A wonderful song about the animals and baby Jesus is “The Friendly Beasts” by an unknown 12th-century author. Thanks to C.W.S., a friend of this blog, for alerting us to the hymn, which begins:

Jesus, our Brother, strong and good,
Was humbly born in a stable rude,
And the friendly beasts around Him stood,
Jesus, our Brother, strong and good.

“I,” said the donkey, shaggy and brown,
“I carried His mother uphill and down,
I carried His mother to Bethlehem town;
I,” said the donkey, shaggy and brown...

Click here for the whole song
_________

Turtle by Trudie Barreras

A reminder for pet lovers: Artist Trudie Barreras has generously offered to do a personalized pet portrait for anyone who makes a $25 donation to the Jesus In Love Blog. Click here for details.

Memorial for All Saints, All Souls and Day of the Dead

In memory of: Tyler Clementi, Seth Walsh, Justin Aaberg, Raymond Chase, Asher Brown, Cody J. Barker, Harrison Chase Brown, Caleb Nolt; Billy Lucas, Jeanine Blanchette, Chantal Dube and all other gay and lesbian youths who have committed suicide. Gwen Araujo, Rita Hester, Brandon Teena and all others who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. Harvey Milk, Matthew Shepard, Alan Schindler and all others who were murdered in homophobic violence. Jill Johnston, Mary Daly, and all lesbians whodied in 2010. Rock Hudson, Rev. Ron Russell-Coons, Rev. Jim Sandmire, Rev. Howard Wells and all others who died of AIDS. And for all saints and all souls, named and unnamed.

***
Compassionate Spirit of God, unite us with the lives and visions of lesbian and gay heroes of our time… Unite us with all the souls living and dead, especially those souls taken by violence and AIDS. Unite us with all who boldly pioneered a way of pride and justice.
--from “Invocation for All Saints Day” by James Lancaster, published in Equal Rites

***

In memory of
Frank Kameny
gay rights pioneer
(1925-2011)
Died Oct. 11, 2011

***

In memory of
Jamey Rodemeyer
Suicide brought attention to gay bullying
(1997-2011)
Died Sept. 18, 2011

***
In memory of
32 victims of New Orleans fire at gay bar
the deadliest LGBT massacre in US history
Died June 24, 1973

This candle was lit by Kittredge Cherry

***

In memory of
Peter Gomes
Harvard minister, gay African American, LGBT rights advocate
Died Feb. 28, 2011

***

In memory of
David Kato
Ugandan LGBT rights activist
Murdered Jan. 26, 2011

This candle was lit by Kittredge Cherry

***

In memory of
Rev. Elder Jean White
MCC elder from London

This candle was lit by Kittredge Cherry

***
“The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints,
went up before God from the angel’s hand.”
      -- Revelation 8:4

***

In memory of
Alex Hivoltze-Jimenez

This candle was lit by Xochitl Alvizo

***

In memory of
Mary Daly

This candle was lit by Xochitl Alvizo.

***

In memory of
Bonnie Strom
my mother

This candle was lit by Scott and Eric Hays-Strom.

***

In memory of
Bonnie Marie Whalen
 my cousin… and first confidant in my family

This candle was lit by Scott and Eric Hays-Strom.

***

In memory of:  All Kelley's Loved Ones. Patti, a very brave Kweer woman. Irving "Herb" Finger 10/20/36 - 1/22/87. Winson "Winn" Strickland 4/12/45 - 1-21-86. All those who have died of environmental illness, multiple chemical sensitivities, chronic fatigue immune dysfunction syndrome, Gulf War syndrome and environmental sensitivities. Julia Kendall, mother of all anti-perfume activism in the US. Monika Quinlan, tireless lay catholic voice for the chemically injured. Cindy Deurhing, longtime CI voice in the high plains. Bill Wilkie, partner in anti-scent "crimes."

***

“Christ Glorified in the Court of Heaven” by Fra Angelico, 1428-30, Wikimedia Commons

***
In memory of
CPT Bruce Hays
thank you Bruce

This candle was lit by Scott and Eric Hays-Strom

***

In memory of
Ailene
my maid of honor

This candle was lit by Trudie

***

In memory of
Steve
my son

This candle was lit by Trudie

***
In memory of
Mary Daly

This candle was lit by Audrey

***
I sing a song of the saints of God,
patient and brave and true,
who toiled and fought and lived and died
for the God they loved and knew.
And one was a doctor, and one was a queen,
and one was a shepherdess on the green;
they were all of them saints of God, and I mean,
God helping, to be one too.
-- from “I Sing a Song of the Saints of God” by Lesbia Scott, 1929

***

In memory of: Joe Totten-Reid, Matthew Garrison, Mitch Kincannon, Joe Bevins. Jimmy Schiavone.

***
In memory of
Tyler Clementi

This candle was lit by Kittredge Cherry

***
In memory of Winston

This candle was lit by Kittredge Cherry

***
‘Tis the ancestor’s breath when the fire’s voice is heard.
‘Tis the ancestor’s breath in the voice of the waters.
Those who have died have never, never left.
The dead are not under the earth
They are in the rustling trees
They are in the groaning woods
They are in the crying grass,
they are in the moaning rocks
The dead are not under the earth.
-- From “Breaths,” sung by Sweet Honey in the Rock, based on a poem by Birago Diop

***

In memory of
Dr. Ken Blair
(1954-11/1/2010) Pioneering AIDS doctor in Austin, Texas

This candle was lit anonymously

***
To acknowledge our ancestors means
we are aware that we did not make 
ourselves,that the line stretches
all the way back, perhaps, to God; or
to Gods. We remember them because it 
is an easy thing to forget: that we
are not the first to suffer, rebel,
fight, love and die. The grace with
which we embrace life, in spite of 
the pain, the sorrow, is always a
measure of what has gone before.
-- from “In These Dissenting Times” by Alice Walker

***

In memory of: Richard O'Dell. Rev. Jim Dykes. Lannie Dykes. Rev. Bruce Hill. Dean Sandmire. Rev. Rick Weatherly. Rev. Austin Amerine. Rev. Floyd Oler. Michael Mank.

***
If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all generations of your ancestors. All of them are alive in this moment. Each is present in your body. You are the continuation of each of these people.
-- Thich Nhat Hanh

***
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
--Hebrews 12:1

“Heaven” from “Ecce Homo” by Elisabeth Ohlson Wallin

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ himself as the cornerstone.
--Ephesians 2:19

Paul addressed this to those who had formerly been “aliens to the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenant of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (2:12). These words were spoken to Christian converts at the time of their baptism.

Along with many other saints throughout history, we have been alienated from the church. The church has viewed us as strangers. We wondered if God’s promise included us. When we doubted, we felt hopeless and abandoned by God.

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near” (2:13). We are not aliens, but citizens of God’s commonwealth. We are not strangers, but we are the church. We are not without foundation, for we have the prophets, apostles, saints, and most centrally, Christ Jesus. And we share the common spiritual wealth of scripture.

 “Jesus loves us, this we know, for the Bible tells us so.” We are all saints, and this is our day.

For all of us saints, O God, we give you thanks! Alleluia!
--from “The Word is Out: Daily Reflections on the Bible for Lesbians and Gay Men” by Chris Glaser

***

In memory of: Douglas DeCarlo. Thomas Michael DiFrancesco and the patients of C4.

***
Anyone’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in humankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee.
--John Donne, 1624

***
If the dead can come back to this earth and flit unseen around those they loved, I shall always be near you; in the gladdest days and in the darkest nights . . . always, always, and if there be a soft breeze upon your cheek, it shall be my breath, as the cool air fans your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit passing by…. Do not mourn me dead; think I am gone and wait for thee, 
for we shall meet again . . .
--letter from Sullivan Ballou, 1861

***

In memory of: Jo and Tony Barreras; Lee and Ted Schuyler; my sister Noelle; our friend Charles Hosley; our former pastor Reid Christensen; and a fellow parishoner, Dick Pugh.

***

Up through an empty house of stars,
Being what heart you are,
Up the inhuman steeps of space
As on a staircase go in grace,
Carrying the firelight on your face
Beyond the loneliest star.   
  -- from “Ballad of the White Horse” by G.K. Chesterton, 1911

***
Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow;
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain;
I am the gentle Autumn's rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush.
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft star that shines at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry.
I am not there; I did not die.
-- Anonymous

You may leave a comment to suggest other names.

Related link:
LGBT Saints Series

(Photo from Wikimedia Commons)

Animal blessing

St. Austremonius with the wild beasts

From the Church of Saint Austremonius in Issoire, Auvergne, France, 1897
(Wikimedia Commons)

Animal blessing events are happening all over the world this weekend for the Feast of St. Francis, the patron saint of animals. Many people like my animal blessing prayer, so here it is again:

___
May we remember that humanity is but one small, fragile strand and interdependent web of life.

May we remember that we human beings are not the only ones created to look at flowers, to taste cool water, to listen to the wind, and to feel the earth beneath our feet.

May we remember that what befalls the earth befalls all who live on her lovely shores.

May we never forget that to harm the Earth is to scorn the Creator.

We pray for the animals who are our companions.

We pray for the wildlife displaced as we develop land for human use.

We pray for the animals who work for us, including the seeing-eye dog, the carriage horse, and the laboratory rat.

We pray for animals who are bought and sold, animals who live in cages, and animals who live free.

We pray for animals indigenous to this particular place, including [name a few species].

We pray for the animals who have made our lives possible by becoming food and clothing for us.

We pray for endangered species, including the giant panda and the California condor, and we remember the dinosaurs, passenger pigeons, and other extinct species.

We pray for all human beings who have felt degraded by being compared to animals.

God, we know that you hear all or prayers, those spoken and those that we hold silently in our hearts. We claim your loving presence with us now in the name of the One who created all animals. Amen.

___
I wrote this animal blessing prayer and included it in “Equal Rites: Lesbian and Gay Worship, Ceremonies, and Celebrations.

Animals are important in the lives of many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and queer people and our allies. Dogs and cats often become family members. Do you want an artist to draw a portrait of YOUR pet? The Jesus in Love Blog is offering personalized pet portraits this year in honor of St. Francis Day. Click here for details.

St. Francis of Assisi was an animal-loving saint who talked with birds, befriended wolves and called all animals “brother” and “sister.” His life story will be posted here on his feast day, Oct. 4, with an emphasis on his male-to-male friendships.

An amazing grace is found

“Grace Lost and Found” by Peter Grahame of ironic-horse.com

With the old abused ideas of
sacrifice and suffering, real grace is lost.

Divine Love says there is an amazing grace found in nature.
A constant resurrection, an ever new spirit..
-- Peter Grahame

___
A note from Kittredge Cherry on why I chose these images: I do not see these photos as a rejection of Christ, even though the man turns away from the cross in the first photo. For me these pictures illustrate the spiritual journey that begins with observing the cross and leads to becoming one with Christ. After looking at a dead and deadening wooden cross, the seeker receives new life through union the tree/cross/Christ. Such is grace.

Peter describes the old ideas as “abused,” not “abusive.” Thus the idea of sacrifice is not inherently abusive, but the concept itself has been abused by unscrupulous religious leaders.
___

________________________________________

This photo and text come from “Contemplations of the Heart: A Book of Male Spirit” by Peter Grahame, a gay photographer and writer living in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The 96-page hardcover book features transformational, spirit-centered male nude images, plus brief poetic text to go with each image.  Full disclosure: these are nudes who bare all -- the images on this blog are cropped for a general audience.

We are posting art by Peter Grahame every Tuesday in June as part of our celebration of GLBT Pride Month.  Click here for the Peter Grahame series.

Christ-like birds in oil spill: You can help

An oil-covered pelican stretches its wings like Christ crucified. The photo was taken along the Louisiana coast on June 3, 2010. (Associated Press photo/Charlie Riedel. Used by permission.)

Birds covered with oil in the Gulf spill look like Christ figures to me. I have to keep reminding myself that resurrection is possible, even though the huge, toxic leak is on Day 56 with no end in sight.

I’ve posted many queer and female images of Jesus on the cross on this blog. Today I decided it was important to post a photo of a Christ-like bird facing a kind of crucifixion.

I felt grief-stricken and powerless about the oil spill until I got an invitation to join “Bloggers Unite for the Gulf.” They reminded me, “Bloggers can use their medium to affect real change” I decided to join and tell people how to help.

But first -- why write about the BP Gulf oil spill on a blog devoted to LGBT spirituality?

1) Because the abuse of LGBT people is linked to the abuse of nature -- both come from a system of domination and control.

2) Because spirituality is linked to nature -- nature is created by God, nature leads to God, and our God-given task is to take good care of nature.

You can take action by clicking on these headlines to:

Write to President Obama (Sierra Club)

Write to your Senators (Natural Resources Defense Council)

Ask the EPA to stop BP’s government contracts (Change.org)

Tell your friends to join you in taking action.   Here's a button you can use.



OK, you may stop clicking and start praying. I especially like “Life Chant” by Diane Di Prima, which reads in part:

deep silence of great rainforests
may it continue
fine austerity of jungle peoples
may it continue
rolling f--k of great whales in turquoise ocean
may it continue
clumsy splash of pelican in smooth bays
may it continue

Click here for the whole chant

In Luke 12:6, Jesus said, “What is the price of five sparrows--two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them.” Watching so many birds suffer and die in this human-made disaster must be a great sorrow to God.

Finally, please leave a comment of support for me in my personal faith journey during this oil spill. I keep having nightmares that I am a bird covered with oil. I’m finding it hard to get through each day knowing that the oil is still gushing, wildlife is still dying, and that I am still a member of the human species that is responsible for the disaster.

Psalm 137 plays through my mind: “By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.” Zion is the promised land. In this case it is the lost past and longed-for future time when the Gulf waters were clean and full of life.

I’m not sure how many of my blog readers share my shock/despair/outrage/horror over the oil spill. I would greatly appreciate your comments of support. Even a few words will mean a lot.

Earth Day: Bless the animals

“Let my daddy marry,” says a bulldog at a Seattle march to protest the Prop 8 ban on same-sex marriage.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/subsetsum/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Some people are taking their pets to be blessed at Earth Day celebrations today. I wrote an Animal Blessing Service for “Equal Rites: Lesbian and Gay Worship, Ceremonies, and Celebrations.” Here are highlights:

For a new version of this article, click this link to Qspirit.net:
Earth Day: LGBTQ theologians join in protecting the environment

Animals are important in the lives of many lesbian and gay people. Cats and dogs often become surrogate children for same-sex couples. The health benefits provided by living with an animal companion are well-known, and in several cities gay and lesbian people have helped create unique organizations such as PAWS (Pets are Wonderful Support) dedicated to enabling people with AIDS to keep their pets.

On a more philosophical level, the discrimination faced by lesbian and gay people is linked to attitudes that devalue animals and the rest of nature. Western thought sets up dualities in which spirit is better than body, male is better than female, human is better than animal, intellectual is better than sexual -- and sexuality defines gays and lesbians in this way of thinking. Gays and lesbians, like nature itself, are seen as something that must be controlled. The result is a sterile, exclusive church and a polluted earth. Many lesbians and gay men seek to remedy this situation by healing the spirit-body split in Christianity. For all these reasons, it is appropriate to bless animals in the context of lesbian and gay spirituality….

May we remember that humanity is but one small, fragile strand in the interdependent web of life.

May we remember that we human beings are not the only ones created to look at flowers, to taste cool water, to listen to the wind, and to feel the earth beneath our feet.

May we remember that what befalls the earth befalls all who live on her lovely shores.

May we never forget that to harm the Earth is to scorn the Creator.

We pray for the animals who are our companions.

We pray for the wildlife displaced as we develop land for human use.

We pray for the animals who work for us, including the seeing-eye dog, the carriage horse, and the laboratory rat.

We pray for animals who are bought and sold, animals who live in cages, and animals who live free.

We pray for animals indigenous to this particular place, including [name a few species].

We pray for the animals who have made our lives possible by becoming food and clothing for us.

We pray for endangered species, including the giant panda and the California condor, and we remember the dinosaurs, passenger pigeons, and other extinct species.

We pray for all human beings who have felt degraded by being compared to animals.

God, we know that you hear all or prayers, those spoken and those that we hold silently in our hearts. We claim your loving presence with us now.

Jesus tells Christmas story to animals in novel

Peaceable Kingdom by Edward Hicks

Jesus tells the story of his birth to animals in the following scene from my novel “Jesus in Love/” Jesus is so in tune with nature that he can converse with animals in the novel. While the book is known for exploring Jesus’ bisexual and trangender feelings, many readers say that this retelling of the Christmas story is one of their favorite scenes. Animals are important in the lives of many GLBT people, and sometimes become our “surrogate children,” so I gladly devote this post to animals. The following scene takes place during Jesus’ wilderness fast.

.............................................

The cave was filled with animals and angels. The angels were like snatches of melody or wisps of light, singing a prophecy from Isaiah that I had loved since childhood. As they sang, Isaiah’s vision materialized right before my eyes and I was part of it: “The wolf shall live with the lamb. The leopard and the young goat shall lie down together while the lion cub makes friends with the calf, with a little child to guide them. The baby shall play near the cobra’s hole. Nobody will be hurt or injured on my holy mountain, for the earth will be flooded with the knowledge of God as water fills the sea.”… The scene reminded me of a story that Mom and Papa-Joe told me about my birth, so I tried to share it with the animals. “I was born in a stable, a place kind f like this cave,” I began. It was tricky translating my thoughts into the vibrations of so many different species at once. Some understood more than others. “Animals were with me when I was born. There were some like you...and you...and you.” I pointed at the sheep, the goats, the donkeys, and the oxen. “After I was born, I slept in a manger, a place where animals ate their food.” “Food!” Everyone was interested in this part of my story. We talked about food for a long time, until the sun began to set. “You are like food. You make me feel good,” Old Snake said to me, and the others sounded their agreement.

_________ A wonderful song about the animals and baby Jesus is “The Friendly Beasts” by an unknown 12th-century author. Thanks to C.W.S., a friend of this blog, for alerting us to the hymn, which begins: Jesus, our Brother, strong and good, Was humbly born in a stable rude, And the friendly beasts around Him stood, Jesus, our Brother, strong and good. “I,” said the donkey, shaggy and brown, “I carried His mother uphill and down, I carried His mother to Bethlehem town; I,” said the donkey, shaggy and brown... Click here for the whole song