“Ask the beasts and they will teach you….In His hand is the life of every living being.” (Job 12:10). Today is the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, October 4. Francis had a deep spiritual kinship with all creatures. He referred to animals as his “brothers” and “sisters,” seeing all creation as a unified family praising God. Dogs are our most faithful companions. Cats are groomed by their mothers as kittens, which creates a sense of security and affection. Petting by humans triggers similar feelings of comfort, effectively mimicking the intimacy of their mother. This past spring I was “adopted” by two neighborhood cats. It all started when I accidentally fed them….three nights in a row! We named the orange cat Monica and the brown cat Augustine (or “Mocho”). They frolicked together a lot and were very curious about all the visitors who came to the church or office,. Augustine, like his namesake, was a bit more rebellious than Monica, more daring and more reluctant to be held or petted. But last Saturday night, Augustine changed. He wanted to be touched, and he purred loudly as I stroked his head. Under the full moon, he sat at my feet while I massaged him with my foot. The next day he was killed by cars leaving the parking lot after 8 am Mass. I wonder if Mocho had an intuition that this was to be his last night on earth. I wonder if he wanted his last night to be one of comfort and affection, sharing the love of another of God’s creatures. “Bless the beasts and the children, for in this world they have no voice…they have no choice…..Light their way when the darkness surrounds them…. Bless them, for the world can never be the world they see.” – – – Fr. Jim