Feast of St. Francis

Blessed be you, Creator of the cosmos.

All life, all being has flared forth from You,

Father God-Mother God, natura naturans.

All being shares in Your stardust.

Hydrogen became the building block

As the cosmos expanded into billions of galaxies.

All praise and glory be to You.

Your Light (doxa-glory) is the inscape of all created being.

Brother Sun chants Your praises

From the dawning of day to the twilight of dusk

While Sister Moon and the stars light the dark night.

Let us be spiritual warriors strong as trees.

Trees praise you just by being trees.

Flowers speak softly of Your glory.

The sun shines on the good and bad alike.

And the rain follows suit.

Let all seas, rivers and lakes praise You.

Let the fish of the waters praise You.

Let mountains and glaciers praise You.

Let volcanos spew forth Your praises.

Let hummingbirds show Your glory.

Let all birds sing Your praises.

As they awake dawn asking permission to be.

Let the coyotes howl Your praises.

Let me too proclaim Your glory and majesty.

Let all men and women sing Your glory

We are the lyres and harps of Your loving kindness.

We praise You by being what we are

And by becoming more than what we are.

Inspire us to care for Your creation.

Let us join the Incarnate Word-Hagia Sophia

Dancing joyfully before the dawn of creation.

Let us be live burning offerings to Your doxa.

Thank You Father Francis,

Hildegard of Bingen and Thomas Merton,

You teach us to sing and dance

The grandeur of God.

© J. Patrick Mahon, 2012