Readings for Feast of St. Francis, Proper 21B:
Mark 9:38-48
October 1, 2006
The Rev. Karen Siegfriedt
St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino, CA
On the morning of December 11, 2005, a crab fisherman spotted a female humpback whale in the open waters about 18 miles off the coast of San Francisco. The whale was about 50 feet long, weighing about 50 tons. It was having difficulty staying afloat because it had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines. About 20 crab-pot ropes, which are 240 feet long, with hanging weights of 90 pounds every 60 feet, were wrapped around the animal. Rope was wrapped at least four times around the tail and the back as well as around the left front flipper. There was a line in the whale’s mouth. The lines were cinched so tight, that the rope was digging into the animal’s blubber, leaving visible cuts.
The Marine Mammal Center was immediately alerted. The Center quickly assembled a team of divers to evaluate the situation. Team members realized that the only way to save the endangered whale was to dive into the water and cut the ropes. It was a risky maneuver, because the mere flip of humpback’s massive tail could easily kill them. Moved with compassion and a sense of mission, the divers willingly entered the water and spent about an hour cutting the ropes with a special curved knife. During the time, the whale floated passively in the water, giving off a strange vibration. While one of the divers was cutting the line from her mouth, the whale began to wink her eye at him. Once free, the humpback whale began swimming around in circles. She then swam to each of the divers, nuzzled him, and then swam to the next one. One of the divers reported: “It seemed kind of affectionate; like a dog that is happy to see you. I never felt threatened. It was an amazing, unbelievable experience.”
What was it that would move four divers to risk their lives to free a humpback whale? It was compassion in the face of suffering! There has always been a special bond between animals and humans, perhaps because we have been created by the same God. The creation story in the book of Genesis points to the goodness and interconnectedness of all creation. God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky. So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves … And God saw that it was good.” [Genesis 1:20] It is this goodness, this love for creation that we celebrate on this feast day of St. Francis.
Today we gather to bless the animals of this parish; animals that have given us much affection and have made our hearts glad. We bless animals because we are affirming God’s love for creation. The love between pets and people is something to be treasured. This bond can especially teach us how to better love one another because animals are capable of showing great love; unconditional, unlimited. So today, let us recommit ourselves to love one another and all the creatures of the earth. “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. For it is in giving that we receive. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned. It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.” [Prayer attributed to St. Francis]
| Updated 10/01/06 |
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