On the day our beloved cat Nala died, I reflected on how much she taught us. Over the last 18 years, without speaking a word, she taught us about love in the form of care and giving. Indeed, showing up to meet another being’s needs, day after day, whether we feel like it or not, affords us the opportunity to have love grow within us. The practice of caring for one another reminds us that we are not the center of the universe and that it is indeed a blessing to see to the well-being of God’s creation.
We were not meant to live in isolation; however, we sometimes need to be reminded that the price of being in community is caring for those around us. At times, our focus on the task before us causes us to miss the person right next to us. The kindness we lavish on our pets is withheld from our neighbors because animals are easier to love. Ironically, those who are hardest to love are most in need of it. During this time of fasting, let us be open to showing God’s love to all God’s creatures.