He also cited C.S. Lewis’ theory about animals sharing in the salvation of their human masters as humans share in the life of Christ. Our pets, then, may in some fashion follow us to Heaven, elevated and sanctified when we are elevated and sanctified. When a pet is not a pet There’s a further possibility, hinted at from the lives of the saints. We know that angels can arrange matter to look like whatever God wills and permits. So some pets may be waiting for their masters in Heaven because the “pet” wasn’t an animal at all, but an angel assigned to them. Consider the famous example of St. John Bosco’s mysterious dog Grigio, whom he considered a possible guardian angel. The dog would appear when he needed it and, on at least one occasion, disappeared from inside a house with the doors and windows shut. It lived for at least 20 years with no sign of slowing down. Also, remember that St. Faustina saw demons under the appearance of a pack of black dogs (see Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 320). If fallen angels appear like that, then holy angels can certainly do it, as well! Still, best not to leap to any conclusions that one’s own beloved pet is actually an angel-in-disguise without some solid evidence. Non-angelic pets too can be a great blessing from God. Further, as my colleague Zeke Chichester likes to point out, from the eternal perspective, all of creation, past, present, and future, is present to God simultaneously. That means that every animal, every plant, everything that ever has existed, is existing, or will exist, in some sense, is before God. All of creation depends on the knowledge and love of God for existence, and the knowledge and love of God are eternal, everlasting. Also, as C.S. Lewis hypothesizes, things that are part of our lives may be part of our eternal lives. During apparitions to saints and mystics, the saints appear clothed as they were in life, at times carrying tools or objects associated with them; Jesus and Mary, the two people we know for sure whose soul and body are already reunited, appear to visionaries clothed. If non-living things like clothing have a place in the next world because of their connection to adopted sons and daughters of God, there’s no reason to definitively exclude living things like pets. There may be hope yet for Fido, Kitty, and Pudgie. Want to save souls and spread Divine Mercy, while saving on your taxes? Use our online tools to give directly from your IRA or to donate appreciated stocks or mutual funds. Our online tools make it easier than ever to make these powerful, tax-savvy gifts — they take 10 minutes or less to complete and are 100% free to use. Give from your IRA: Marian.org/qcd Donate Appreciated Stocks or Mutual Funds: Marian.org/stocks Make Your Smartest Gifts Questions? Contact Ellen Miller at [email protected] or (413) 298-1380.
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