I was under the impression that animals were without souls, but a kind priest from northern Florida sent this quotation from ECCLESIASTES 3:19-21, which raises a question or two:
Man's fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath, man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless. All go to the same place; all come from dust and to dust all return. Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?
An old man and his dog were walking down this dirt road with fences on both sides, they came to a gate in the fence and looked in, it was nice grassy, woody areas, just what a 'huntin' dog and man would like, but, it had a sign saying 'no trespassing' so they walked on. They came to a beautiful gate with a person in white robes standing there. "Welcome to Heaven" he said. The old man was happy and started in with his dog following him. The gatekeeper stopped him. "Dogs aren't allowed, I'm sorry but he can't come with you."
"What kind of Heaven won't allow dogs? If he can't come in, then I will stay out with him. He's been my faithful companion all his life, I can't desert him now."
"Suit yourself, but I have to warn you, the Devil's on this road and he'll try to sweet talk you into his area, he'll promise you anything, but the dog can't go there either. If you won't leave the dog, you'll spend Eternity on this road."
So the old man and dog went on. They came to a rundown fence with a gap in it, no gate, just a hole. Another old man was inside. "S'cuse me Sir, my dog and I are getting mighty tired, mind if we come in and sit in the shade for awhile?"
"Of course, there's some cold water under that tree over there. Make yourselves comfortable"
"You're sure my dog can come in? The man down the road said dogs weren't allowed anywhere."
"Would you come in if you had to leave the dog?"
"No sir, that's why I didn't go to Heaven, he said the dog couldn't come in. We'll be spending Eternity on this road, and a glass of cold water and some shade would be mighty fine right about now. But, I won't come in if my buddy here can't come too, and that's final."
The man smiled a big smile and said "Welcome to Heaven."
"You mean this is Heaven? Dogs ARE allowed? How come that fellow down the road said they weren't?"
"That was the Devil and he gets all the people who are willing to give up a life long companion for a comfortable place to stay. They soon find out their mistake, but then it's too late. The dogs come here, the fickle people stay there. GOD wouldn't allow dogs to be banned from Heaven. After all, HE created them to be man's companions in life, why would he separate them in death?"
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[I'll repost this here, just so non-FBers can correct me! LOL]
Re the Holy Father's comments, it all depends on what you mean by "Eternal Life". When we speak of Eternal Life, we are normally speaking of that of humans, with the implicit suffix "...in Christ Jesus"; that is to say, the animals are not called to the same kind of eternal life.
However, they are part of the natural creation which will be destroyed and then remade in the fulness of time - just as "the Heavens and the Earth will be made anew" (Apoc. 21). I like to think that each single animal is unique and hence will be made anew individually.
My pastor cleared up that soul thing real fast. And it is arrogant for anyone to say that animals are not allowed in heaven. We don't know. My pastor and I choose to believe we'll be together with our beloved pets someday.
...and, funny thing -Siena has been on my mind often the past two weeks or so. She is happy!
Animals must have primitive souls and we certianly underestimate the God-given power of instinct which animals demonstrate so well.
However Jesus did not die on the cross for any animal as animals do not sin and were not subject to original sin. However this does not preclude them from heaven...though could it may make them more likely to get there than us!
The problem is that of the nature of animals. Can heaven resemble the African plains with blood soaked lions and hyenas and injured zebra? Hmm, I think not. This means then that the predators somehow loose their fierce nature, though how can a lion be a lion if it's not a killer?.....
This is too big for me.!..
In one of his books, Father Benedict Groeschel writes very movingly about the death of his two Scottie dogs when he was small. He was a lonely little boy being moved about the country every six months because of his father's business. As a result, they would settle down in one place and all of a sudden have to move again, so it was impossible for him to make and keep friends. His dogs were his only constant companions. When they both died one right after the other, he was completely bereft.
Father has written, as I have read elsewhere, that if God wants to, He can give us back our pets in Heaven. We do not NEED our pets to be happy in Heaven, should we make it there, and we will be so happy to be with God we won't even miss them. But there's nothing that says God CAN'T do it if He wants to, and since He wants us to be happy it's possible that He might.
So long as no one hangs their salvation hat on it, I don't see the harm in hoping for it. After all, who else would listen to St. Francis sometimes but the animals? And when Our Lord was born, his birth was attended by angels, peasants, and animals - not emperors, professors, and theologians.
Thanks, all, for such wonderful comments!
I remember Fr Benedict talking about God allowing pets to be with us in heaven.
I've wondered as well: surely earth in some way reflects heaven and there is an abundance of life on earth. Surely there might just be the occasional dog, or orangotang or beautiful tree sloth hanging around in heaven.
They don't have to be saved of course-but the beauty of creation both plant and animal is always so lacking in those places we consider hell on earth.
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