REFLECTION 21 SEPTEMBER 2025
ANIMAL BLESSING SUNDAY
By Rev Dr Fei Taule’ale’ausumai

Worry Less, Praise More – With All God’s Creatures
Readings: Matthew 6:25–30 – “Do not worry about your life…”
Psalm 148:7-13 – “Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps… wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds, kings of the earth and all peoples, old and young together.”

Introduction – What Do Families Worry About?
There’s that song by Bob Marley “Don’t worry about a thing, cos every little thing is gonna be alright.” But the reality is that many of us grew up with parents worrying about food, bills, school and somehow we inherited it when we had our own families.

We worry about bills, school grades, health, and the future of our world, our planet. And today, as our furry, feathered, and four-legged friends are with us, we know families also worry about their pets—the sick dog, the aging cat, the lost budgie.

Our reading from Matthew has Jesus step into our anxieties and says: “Do not worry about your life… look at the birds of the air, look at the lilies of the field.”

He points us to creation as teacher and comforter. Some biblical teachings are sound and hopeful but many cry “I want life before death not just in the afterlife”.

The words of the Lord’s Prayer, “May your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven” become even more radical when we add the phrase, “beginning with me.” It shifts the responsibility from some far-off vision to a present, lived reality. God’s reign is not just about the future—it is about here, now, and the choices I make with my life.

Yes, the birds of the air do not worry about what to wear or what to eat, and the lilies of the field are clothed with beauty beyond human design. Creation trusts the Creator. The difference between creation and humanity is that we have been given consciousness and freedom. We can choose to live in harmony with God’s purposes—or we can choose fear, greed, and control. The rest of creation simply is: birds fly, lilies grow, rivers flow, stars shine. Humanity, however, is invited into relationship and responsibility. We are capable of love, justice, and compassion, but also of exploitation and destruction.

So when we pray, “Your kingdom come on earth as in heaven, beginning with me,” we are offering ourselves as the soil where God’s dream can take root. It means living lightly on the earth, like the birds and the lilies, not burdened with endless anxiety. It means trusting that God’s abundance is enough if shared with justice. It means choosing generosity over scarcity, care over consumption, peace over power.

God’s realm begins when I open my hands rather than clench my fists, when I see the divine image in my neighbour, when I welcome the stranger, when I bless the animals that bless me. God’s realm begins when I notice the lilies, listen to the birdsong, and let creation teach me how to trust again.

In our Hebrew reading from Psalm 148 reminds us that worship isn’t just human voices on a Sunday. It’s:
Dogs wagging tails in delight.
Cats purring softly in comfort.
Whales breaching in the deep sea.
Children laughing, elders singing, youth dancing.
The whole world is one vast choir of praise. Our pets are not accessories to human lives—they are fellow creatures in God’s orchestra, reminding us daily of God’s joy, loyalty, and companionship.

Jesus and the psalmist call us to see ourselves not as rulers over creation, but as siblings within it. The sparrow, the goldfish, the Labrador—all are kin.
Abundance & Justice:

When Jesus says God clothes the lilies and feeds the birds, he’s teaching us that creation already provides enough. Our calling is to live simply so others—human and non-human alike—can simply live.

Today, when we bless pets, we are not just saying “thank you for a cute companion.” We are recognising their place in God’s family. Their bark, meow, chirp, or silence is part of Psalm 148’s hymn.So how do we live with this: Treat your pets as more than possessions— they are companions and teachers. Caring for them is part of your faith.
As families of faith: Learn from your pets—dogs who trust without worry, cats who rest without apology, birds who sing without fear. They live the sermon better than we often do!

Expand the circle of care. Just as we love our pets, let’s extend compassion to all animals, the earth itself, and people who suffer when creation is mistreated.

So, when you feel anxious, remember your pet. The dog doesn’t stress about tomorrow’s dinner, the cat doesn’t lose sleep over next month’s bills. They live fully in the now, trusting the care they receive. That’s Jesus’ message to us: live like the lilies, like the birds, like your pets.

So today, as we bless these beloved animals, let’s also bless the God who gave them to us—and learn from them how to worry less and praise more.
And so, may God’s realm come—on earth as in heaven, beginning with me, beginning with you, beginning with us all. Amen.

Audio of selected readings and reflections

Audio of the complete service