Anybody got a goat?

St. John the Divine Cathedral in New York City knows how to do a blessing of the animals. I don't think anybody can beat them. Watch a video here from their 2010 blessing.

St John holds its celebration on the first Sunday of October which, on the Anglican calendar of saints, is St. Francis Day. They have ponies, llamas, ostriches, tortoises, burros, camels and sometimes even elephants.

And they have goats.

I have a special affection for goats. Maybe this is because in the Bible goats do not seem to get a fair deal. In Leviticus 16:7ff , we are told two goats and a ram are to be Israel's sin offering. One goat gets killed and the other goat is driven into the wilderness as a scapegoat.

Frankly I don't quite get this. It wasn't the poor goats who sinned.

But that isn't all. Jesus' famous parable in Matthew 25:31ff talks about separating the sheep from the goats. Why are the sheep the good guys? What did goats ever do to anybody?

Jane and visited a goat farm in Maui once -- the Surfing Goat Farm. We got to feed the young goats, pet the babies, and watch the adults in the milking barn. Who wouldn't love a goat? And the cheese is excellent!

Jane and I would like to have a goat but apparently goats are not allowed on Capitol Hill. Maybe chickens will be allowed one day soonish, but there is no legislation pending to allow goats. 

Foundry Church is hosting a Blessing of the Animals on our patio Sunday, Oct. 14 at 3 p.m. The only animals we are going to bless in person are the animals you bring ... your animal companions.

But I really wish somebody would bring a goat to our blessing of the animals. I think we owe goats reparations, or at least a blessing.