LAST WEEK WE PRAYED FOR THE PIGS IN OKLAHOMA. Later I recalled a poem written by Christa Blanke in her book With the Eyes of Love that spoke right to the heart of our compassion and prayers for those pigs. It is a poem recounting an experience bearing witness and holding a candlelight vigil for pigs as they were being unloaded and marched to a German slaughterhouse that kills 5,000 pigs per day. Here is a part of that tribute.

“…Her ears bent forward. Her nose into the icy wind.

Her right rear leg is broken. She must be in great pain.

But she stands there quite still. The pig looks in our direction.

At our tiny candles which keep going out in the draughts of this winter night.

The pig looks in our direction.

Then she limps on, head high, down the ramp.

Morituri te salutant. We who are about to die salute you.

Doris weeps beside me. She clenches her fists inside the pockets of her black anorak.

The dignity of pigs is inalienable, she says quietly, and lights another candle.”

IN THIS WEEK’S PRAYER WE AFFIRM THAT THE DIGNITY OF ALL FARM ANIMALS IS INALIENABLE. Free animals too carry themselves with dignity in spite of the horrors humanity puts them through. Many eye witnesses have observed animals showing kindness and respect to other species, including human ones, regardless of their circumstances.

Let us affirm that, although we cannot be with each one of these animals in their time of desperate need, there is a salute, a greeting, from their spirits to ours and back again; Let us believe and affirm that they somehow know that we are fighting for their liberation; that we care about each one of them; that there are human beings who do truly see them as our brothers and sisters. Let us envision and affirm that those hired to kill these intelligent, sensitive beings are all growing in awareness and are finding it more and more impossible to deny their empathy and to continue to kill; In our prayers this week, let us light our candles for the pigs and all animals so that our light will encircle them with love and peace. May their dignity and strength fill us with renewed determination to set them free and to awaken humanity to the fact that their dignity and their right to live is inalienable and absolute.

As always, I send my thanks to each of you, dear Prayer Circle members, for

May Divine Wisdom, the animals’ grace, and our true hearts guide us toward ahimsa, peace, liberation, and lovingkindness for all. As always, I send my thanks to each of you, dear Prayer Circle members, for joining this circle of compassion and shining the Light of Truth for all to see, so that one day soon, all beings will live in peace together.

May compassion and love reign over all the earth for all beings everywhere.

Thank you all for your devotion to truth, love, liberation and peace for all beings.

With Love, peace, and gratitude from Judy Carman, and greetings from Will, Madeleine, Tara and the Circle of Compassion team

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