July 14, Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha

The Lord will not abandon his people. — Psalm 94:14

Mass Readings: Isaiah 10:5-7,13-16 / Matthew 11:25-27

God and Beagles 

Today we’re celebrating the 10th birthday of our beagle, Sophie. She’s a rescue dog whose exact birthday we don’t know — only that she was born in 2000. My wife and I decided to honor her birth on Bastille Day, the French national holiday, since it’s an easy date for us two Francophiles to remember.

There are enough beagles and beagle mixes in our neighborhood to warrant a party every summer. A postal worker who used to deliver our mail even makes the trek from out of town with her beagle to join in the festivities. The very social beagles enjoy each others’ company (wild rabbits, beware!) and the dogs’ human companions compare stories of beagle mischief. I suspect St. Francis of Assisi is smiling on us as we celebrate the beauty and richness of God’s creation.

Prayer: All you creatures of the Lord, wild and tame, bless the Lord!