DASH R.I.P?

Like all students I looked forward to my holidays – a time to get away from the grind of studies and exams. On my return to Culdaff the first thing I did was to seek out ‘Dash,’ our beautiful collie dog , and experience the warmth of his welcome. His joy was unbounded. He jumped eagerly with excitement. He had missed me. We celebrated our mutual love as I stroked and hugged him. Later I would take him for a long walk on the beach where I could breathe in the fresh air again and listen to the roar of the waves. Then I returned one day and he was gone.

I met a man recently who was totally broken when his dog, his best friend, died. He asked me ‘will I see my dog in heaven’? I get a blog from father Richard Rohr- he challenges me to think outside the box. This is what he wrote in a recent message on this subject :

‘My fellow Franciscan friar, Father Jack Wintz, has written a theologically solid book on why we can consider all things loved, loving, and lovable as participating in eternity, including animals. It is called ‘Will I See my Dog in Heaven? [ available from amazon].What do you think: Will we see our pets in heaven? Does God's plan for eternity include the created nonhuman world? Father Jack admits that no one really knows what God has in mind for us in the next life. But he lines up evidence from the Scriptures, Christian tradition, and the life of St. Francis of Assisi, that God desires all creatures (yes, including even our rabbits, goldfish or tortoises - why put the limit with cats and dogs?) to share heaven with us . Fr Richard goes on to say’’ What made us think we were the only ones who loved and are lovable? If unconditional love, loyalty, and obedience are the tickets to an eternal life, then my black Labrador, Venus, will surely be there long before me.’’

Pope John Paul II he declared in a public audience in 1990 that ' animals also possess a soul and men must love and feel solidarity with our smaller brethren' .Animal lovers have been disappointed with the traditional church’s teaching of man’s domination over all creation leading , they claimed, to his selfish exploitation of nature for his own needs- issues Pope Francis tackled in his recent encyclical on creation. Pope John Paul acknowledged firstly the special relationship of mankind with God as being created in His image and likeness. 'However,' he went on, 'other texts state that animals have the breath of life, given by God.’ ‘All animals are 'fruit of the creative action of the Holy Spirit and merit respect.' Animal lovers throughout the world danced for joy just as my beloved Dash did for me all those years ago when he welcomed me home.!

Words of Wisdom

If you don’t like something change it:

If you can’t change it,

Change the way you think about it.

Joke

A young actor was excited at getting his first job and rushed home to tell his father.

‘Guess what’ he said ‘I play a man who’s been married for 30 years.’ ‘Never mind son’ says his father. ‘I’m sure you’ll get a speaking part next time’.