Written in 1225, the Canticle is considered both a great work of literature and a celebration for all believers. The Canticle praises the natural wonders of water, fire, and wind. Francis first recognizes the Sun, and as it brings renewed warmth this month, we can revel in what he proclaims.
Creation, evident acutely in Spring, cries out the glory of God, says Francis:
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.
The environmental message is clear. What tends to be forgotten is the Canticle’s social message.
Fr. Jim Sabak, OFM, professor of liturgy at the Franciscan School of Theology in San Diego, notes that the Canticle “is more than an ecological statement; it speaks of forgiveness and death.”
Fr. Jim notes that the Canticle is about relationships.
“Francis held that there is a cosmic connection between all earthly and heavenly creation because the cosmos is filled with the presence of God. Creation reveals to us the presence of God when his creation is engaged with and used in appropriate and proper ways.”
There is a temptation to see Francis’ Canticle as a product of a simpler time, composed as the saint traversed the Italian hills. How we wish to feel the breeze, smell the flowers and bask in the glory of creation far beyond troubled civilization.
But the reality was different. Like us, Franics lived in times of conflict and strife. He knew the burdens of war as a wounded soldier. The Canticle was composed towards the end of Francis’ life, while he suffered blindness, with perhaps much of what he describes as something he could only experience in the imagination drawn from his younger years.
He was trying, often against all odds, and often unsuccessfully, to promote harmony and peace among his friars, the church and the wider culture. The Canticle was a reminder to those who squabbled to keep their vision fixed on greater things. The Canticle is not only an ode to the natural world, but also a call to reconciliation and justice.
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.
Giving to the Franciscans allows you to share in their mission of peace, reconciliation, and justice. Friars throughout the United States and the world are working today to bring food to the poor and offer solace to the suffering. A Planned Giving donation not only assists this ministry but can be part of your overall financial and estate planning. Options for giving are available via bequests, charitable trusts, life insurance policies and retirement accounts. To learn more about how you can help the Franciscan Friars, contact Bro. Paul O’Keeffe, OFM, via email at pokeeffe@friars.us or by calling (646) 278-4699 ext. 303.