FAITH MATTERS

When I was asked to provide a reflection for the newsletter, I really had no idea what I would write about as it is not something I am normally asked to do as the Business Manager. Then, through an unfortunate circumstance, a question about what I believe in, versus what I was told and taught as a child, was front and centre in my mind – Is there an afterlife for our pets when they die? 

When I was about 4 years of age, our family dog was run over and died. Although MacGregor (the dog) and I didn’t exactly see eye to eye, I was upset about his death. It was also, I believe, the first time in my life that I became aware of death, so I was trying to understand how things worked. As a regular attendee at Church on Sundays with my family, I was beginning to understand the concept of heaven and ‘the other place’. So I asked the inevitable question, that I suppose a lot of us have:

‘Mum, will MacGregor go to heaven?’

I do not think I was prepared for the conversation that followed which was along the lines of:

‘No David’

‘Why not?’

‘Because Heaven is for people. They have souls, and dogs do not have souls?’

‘What about cats?’

‘No, because they do not have souls either. Animals do not have souls, only humans’.

This message was further imprinted in my learning once I went to school. The Bible does state that we are uniquely created in the image of God and that man is the only being that has a soul and that only souls can enter into Heaven. Although the message was clear, I still wanted to believe there was an alternative. My reasoning told me God would not create a wonderful place like Heaven with a ‘No Pets Policy’. Either pets were allowed or there was another Heaven dedicated to animals.  I still hold onto this belief today and it seems I am not the only one. Pope Paul VI was quoted to say, “One day, we will see our animals again in the eternity of Christ”. There are also a number of other references in the Bible about animals being present in Heaven.

As I mentioned earlier, the unfortunate circumstance that got me thinking about this subject was the recent death of my 15 year old Labrador – Dolly. And as it happens, at least two other staff members have had a pet death recently as well. For all of us it was a traumatic experience because we have lost a member of the family. A pet that has shared a lot of good times and some bad times. A pet that knows a lot of your secrets and will never tell. A pet that would always have time to give a wag of a tail or a nose nuzzle or an inappropriate lick.  A pet that has unconditional love for you and your family. For a gift like that there has to be more than just living on earth. There has to be more, not for us, but for them, our four legged companions.

During the Easter period we were reminded of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the cross and his resurrection that followed. Through His actions we were given hope, belief and faith.

It is with belief that I feel there is a heaven for all of God’s creatures, including Dolly.  It is my hope that I am right and it is with faith that I will be with her again…..but not too soon.