The Canticle of Brother Sun
A poem by St. Francis of Assisi:
Most High, Omnipotent, Good Lord,
Thine be the praises, the glory, and the honor and every blessing.To Thee alone, Most High, do they belong
and no man is worthy to mention Thee.May Thou be praised, my Lord, with all Thy creatures,
especially mister brother sun,
of whom is the day, and Thou enlightens us through him.And he is beautiful and radiant with a great splendor,
of Thee, Most High, does he convey the meaningMay Thou be praised, my Lord, for sister moon and the stars,
in heaven Thou has made them clear and precious and beautifulMay Thou be praised, my Lord, for brother wind,
and for the air and the cloudy and the clear weather and every weather, through which to all Thy creatures Thou gives sustenanceMay Thou be praised, my Lord, for sister water,
who is very useful and humble and precious and chasteMay Thou be praised, my lord, for brother fire,
through whom Thou illumines the night,
and he is handsome and jocund and robust and strongMay Thou be praised, my Lord, for our sister, mother earth,
who sustains us and governs,
and produces various fruits with colored flowers and green plantsMay Thou be praised, my Lord, for those who forgive for the sake of Thy love,
and endure infirmity and tribulationBlessed those who endure them in peace,
because by Thee, Most High, will they be crownedMay Thou be praised, my Lord, for our sister, bodily death,
whom no man living can escapeWoe to those, who die in mortal sin:
blessed those whom she will find in Thy most holy desires,
because the second death will do them no evilPraise and bless my Lord,
and give Him thanks and serve Him with great humility!
7 comments May 2nd, 2008
