Having just come from a pheasant hunting trip in KS, this is meaningful. I copied and pasted it from the Arbor, a weekly newsletter from Asbury United Methodist Church in Denton.
St. Francis' Prayer for All Created Things
The animals of God's creation inhabit the skies, the earth, and the sea. They share in the fortunes of human existence and have a part in human life. God, who confers gifts on all living things, has often used the service of animals or made them reminders of the gifts of salvation. Animals were saved from the flood and afterwards made a part of the covenant with Noah. The paschal lamb recalls the Passover sacrifice and the deliverance from slavery in Egypt. A giant fish saved Jonah; ravens brought bread to Elijah; animals were included in the repentance of Nineveh; and animals share in Christ's redemption of all God's creation. We, therefore, invoke God's blessing on these animals. As we do so, let us praise the Creator and thank God for setting us as stewards over all the creatures of the earth.
St. Francis' Prayer for All Created Things
God created us and placed us on the earth
to be stewards of all living things,
to be stewards of all living things,
therefore let us proclaim the glory of our Creator, saying:
O God, how wonderful are the works of your hands.
Blessed are you, O Lord of the Universe;
You create the animals and give us the ability to train them to help us in our work.
Blessed are you, O Lord of the Universe;
You give us food from animals to replenish our energies.
Blessed are you, O Lord of the Universe;
You give us domestic animals as companions.
Blessed are you, O Lord of the Universe;
You care for us even as You care for the birds of the air.
Blessed are you, O Lord of the Universe;
You offered your Son to us as the Passover lamb and in Him willed that we should be called your children.
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