The Life of St. Francis by Thomas of Celano, The First Book, Chapter 29:
Even for worms he had a warm love, since he had read this text about the Savior: “I am a worm and not a man.” That is why he used to pick them up from the road and put them in a safe place so that they would not be crushed by the footsteps of passersby.
What shall I say about the other lesser creatures? In the winter he had honey or the best wine put out for the bees so that they would not perish from the cold. He used to extol the artistry of their work and their remarkable ingenuity, giving glory to the Lord. With such an outpouring, he often used up an entire day or more in praise of them and other creatures. Once the three young men in the furnace of burning fire invited all the elements to praise and glorify the Creator of all things, so this man, full of the Spirit of God, never stopped glorifying, praising and blessing the Creator and Ruler of all things in all the elements and creatures.
How great do you think was the delight the beauty of flowers brought to his soul whenever he saw their lovely form and noticed their sweet fragrance? He would immediately turn his gaze to the beauty of that flower, brilliant in springtime, sprouting from the root of Jesse. By its fragrance it raised up countless thousands of the dead. Whenever he found an abundance of flowers, he used to preach to them and invite them to praise the Lord, just as if they were endowed with reason.
In the last reflection, we looked at the influence that scripture, tradition and prayer most likely had on Francis as he composed the Canticle of the Creatures. As we move forward, we will now turn to some of the themes that run through the work. These threads will provide the material for the last three entries in the series.
The first theme we will consider is the “Goodness of God and Creation.”
In both Psalm 148 and the third chapter of the book of Daniel, we saw precursors to the Canticle. If you return to these two texts, you will find that they are essentially lists of creatures that are being called to the praise of God. Both entries make reference to the exaltation of God. Both extol His Greatness. But neither David nor Daniel provide any reference to the characteristics of God or His creatures within their compositions.
As we discussed in the third reflection, Francis goes well beyond a simple listing. The vivid description of the Attributes that Francis assigns to God and His Creation separate his work from these previous pieces of scripture. His work is greater, more memorable and more impactful because of the poetic details he provides in his depictions. These details then provide the enhancement and further development of church tradition and teaching that I claimed he was after at the end of the last reflection.
As Francis opens the Canticle, he establishes God’s superiority by referring to him as “most high, all powerful and good,” and he asserts His otherness by stating that all “praises, glory, honor and blessings” belong to Him alone. These affirmations are meant to demonstrate the Goodness of God beyond any possibility of doubt or question. This declaration of Goodness is not new to Francis but is instead a reiteration of a constant teaching that runs throughout all of his writings. This theme is primary and foundational within the entire Franciscan charism and when it is translated to Creation, it results in the inevitability of Francis being chosen as the Patron Saint of both animals and ecology.
It is impossible to think or believe that the Creation of a Good and Loving God could be contrary to these Attributes in its fundamental nature. Salvation history reinforces this conclusion by teaching us that the Goodness of God is specifically extended to Creation when God blesses it with the presence of His Son via the Incarnation.
Jesus’ sanctifying presence is enough by itself to establish the Goodness of Creation beyond all ambiguity. But for Francis, this is only the beginning of the argument he wishes to make. As he assigns Attributes to the creatures themselves, he is strengthening and extending his proof. When he emphasizes the “beauty, clarity, radiance, splendor, preciousness, serenity, playfulness, strength, humility and chastity” of the elements, he is by definition proclaiming their Goodness. When he underscores life giving qualities like light, sustenance and governance, he is accentuating the Love that underpinned God’s motive for acting.
Even when the Holy Spirit prompts Francis to extend the Canticle to include men, the theme of Goodness is central. Positive qualities like the ability to pardon, to bear infirmity and tribulation, to endure in peace, and to obey God’s Most Holy Will are indicative of the virtue and ability to Love that God endows on all men, even those who sinfully choose to suppress these capabilities.
And when he attributes the title of Sister to Death, making death not something to be feared, but something to be embraced, he is describing the inherent Goodness present in the circular nature of the Flow of Creation. Returning to God at the end of our lives is a profound blessing, meaning death is not a misfortune, but a gift that includes the promise of eternal peace and rest in the bosom of the One whose Love formed us and continues to define us in every moment of every day.
There is not a moment in the Canticle when Francis is not stressing the Goodness of the Creator and therefore the intrinsic Goodness of Creation itself.
How could all creatures, including you and me, respond responsibly with anything but genuine and heartfelt praise when presented with the enormity of all that God has provided for us? Francis proclaims and extols the Goodness of Creation in the Canticle precisely so we will have no choice but to burst out in praise in response to the Goodness of the God who Loved us and everything around us into being.
- Article Eleven of the OFS Rule asserts that Jesus “valued created things attentively and lovingly.” Franciscans are called to emulate Jesus in everything they do. Consider the words “value, attentively, and lovingly.” Does your approach to Creation honor these words from the Rule and the example of Jesus? What are some concrete examples from your life that demonstrate this?
- Article Eleven also calls on Secular Franciscans to be “mindful that according to the gospel they are stewards of the goods received for the benefit of God’s children.” In Genesis, God gave human beings the responsibility to “rule over” Creation. Too often, the power of “ruling” causes us to be irresponsible. We are more apt to choose exploitation rather than stewardship. How can Franciscans use the Canticle to combat this tendency so that the “Goodness of Creation” is preserved for generations to come? How can we encourage others to see the link between the “Goodness of Creation” and the need to praise God unconditionally?
OFS Ongoing 
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