Sculpture of a Seated St. Francis
Most High, all-powerful, good Lord, Yours are the praises, the glory, and the honor, and all blessing,
To You alone, Most High, do they belong, and no human is worthy to mention Your name.
Praised be You, my Lord, with all Your creatures,
especially Sir Brother Sun, who is the day and through whom You give us light.
And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor; and bears a likeness of You, Most High One.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars,
in heaven You formed them clear and precious and beautiful.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind,
and through the air, cloudy and serene, and every kind of weather, through whom You give sustenance to Your creatures.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water,
who is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
through whom You light the night, and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.
Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth,
who sustains and governs us,
and who produces various fruit with colored flowers and herbs.
Praised be You, my Lord, through those who give pardon for Your love, and bear infirmity and tribulation.
Blessed are those who endure in peace for by You, Most High, shall they be crowned.
Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death,
from whom no one living can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin.
Blessed are those whom death will find in Your most holy will, for the second death shall do them no harm.
Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks
and serve Him with great humility.
Canticle of the Creatures -- Francis of Assisi, 1226
No, no, no, no!!!
I've noted that this year marks of the 200th anniversary of the death of Francis of Assisi. He is the Roman Catholic patron saint of ecology because of his expansive love for all God's creatures and he universe itself. Francis chose a life of austerity whilc at the same time celebrating the abundance of Creation. As the Franciscan and Poor Clare orders took shape around him simplicity was a guiding principle. Francis' Canticle of the Creatures is considered by some to be the first poem in Italian.
The bones of St. Francis, preserved in a nitrogen-filled plexiglass case
My multiple "no's!" are because the skeletal remains of Francis (c'mon, are they really?) have been brought from the crypt in the baslica dedicated in his honour for viewing to mark this Special Year. The bones will be displayed in a nitrogen filled case and pilgrims can book online to see them at a clip of 1500 an hour. By my math that's 25 a minute, so only a few seconds of viewing, hardly a profound contemplative experience.
Honouring Francis is a wonderful notion but we might all do better to read the environmental encyclical of the late Pope Francis called Laudato Si, inspired by his namesake. Or to take on a personal commitment in this year to heal and nurture Creation. I do like that there are many events in this celebratory year exploring Indigenous perspectives on the Canticle and a Muslim/Christian dialogue on Francis and his focus on peace.
At Trenton United folk have been invited to be Bird-Brained with St. Francis in Lent, recording the birds they see during the season. I'm delighted by those who've enthusiastically spoken to me about the birds they've sighted.
To pass by ancient bones in a crowd does not honour Francis, in my estimation. Francis can be our inspiration, not a lucky charm...maybe that's St. Patrick?
Francis and Clare with the Creatures -- artist unknown
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