In Praise of the Animals

Today I take the liberty of talking about St. Modestos, the patron saint of domestic animals. His feast day is today, and it's a chance to be kind to our furry friends that give us such joy, and ask so little of us but to be kind and gentle to them.

In the Orthodox Church, this is a day that holy water is prepared and there then ensues the blessing of the animals. Some churches mix the water into the feed of the cattle; most sprinkle the animals with the blessed water.  Special prayers are said, and the animals are given a day of rest.

St. Modestos is a third century saint, and viewed animals as sublime and mysterious, and a special gift from God. The special prayer states, "Blessed are you, O Lord, who for the sake of comfort give us domestic animals as companions," he said. "Let us bless the name of the Lord." The priest also says a selection from Genesis:

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And God said: Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures and let birds fly above the earth across the firmament of the heavens. So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good."

I wholeheartedly agree. It is a very good thing to have our dear pets around us. An abandoned kitty came my way a few years ago. I had an indoor kitty already, and so I had to keep this one outside. My apartment only allows one pet :(  Anyway, after my indoor cat suddenly passed away, in due course, Kitty came in .  I just love her! When I get up in the morning she is there, vocal, ready to greet. When I return home in the evening, she seems to say Welcome Home.
We have come to understand each other. She is grateful to be inside, making the most of it. I understand her subtle signals. She knows me too! She doesn't particularly like when I'm on the phone! She looks forward to "quality time" on the couch, in my lap, taking in a film or tv program.
It's a joy to have her there. In honor of her special day, I brushed her this morning, and I have a special gift for her when I get home this eve. Shreds of real chicken, and a fancy holiday collar!