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Canticle of the Sun

(Attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, English translation)

Most high, all powerful, all good Lord!
All praise is yours, all glory, all honors, and all blessing.

Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures,
especially through my lord Brother Sun,
who brings the day; and you give light through him.
And he is beautiful and radiant in his entire splendor!
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.

Be praised, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars;
in the heavens you have made them bright, precious and beautiful.

Be praised, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air,
and clouds and storms, and all the weather,
through which you give your creatures sustenance.

Be praised, My Lord, through Sister Water;
she is very useful, and humble, and precious, and pure.

Be praised, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
through whom you brighten the night.
He is beautiful and cheerful, and powerful and strong.

Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Mother Earth.

READING

A reading from first chapter of Genesis:

And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And God created great whales, and every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

THE PRAYERS

Presider:
For your creatures that breathe, move, and have life.
We give you thanks.
That we may love and honor the work of your hand, crafted in your palm for us,
We give you thanks and honor what you have made.
We pray that every pet may be treasured with hearts like ours
that have loved this one so much.
Hear us, O God.
For all animals who suffer pain, hunger or neglect.
Hear us, O God.
For the frightened and lost, for all whose existence is cruel, we ask that your mercy finds them.
Hear us, O God
For our beloved friend who has died, we thank you.
We thank you for the gift of the love we knew in those eyes,
And the trust we came to share.
We thank you, and we give you praise; for your love is great
and knows every shape and form.

[Response] Amen.

BLESSING OF ANIMAL COMPANIONS

Presider:
Let us pray.
O God, you have done all things perfectly, great and small;
in your goodness you have made us in your image
and given us care over other living things.
Protect and bless the animals
that bring us companionship and delight.
May we respond with wisdom to your bounty in the resources of this life
and seek abundant life on our journey to eternal life with you and
the wonders that are yours.

[Response] Amen.