Peace and all good!
St. Francis lived this greeting. He was truly a person who lived peace and who saw the good in all things.
As I return from Assisi, I am blessed to reflect on the life of St. Francis, his followers and our response to the call of the Gospel in our lives as well as my response to God's call in my life. I invite you to also reflect on your role in creation as you pray through this column.
St. Francis understood that all creatures live in peace when they are faithful to their created nature. The sun gives praise to God when it shines, the wind as it blows, water as it gives life. We do the same. We are not called to be someone that God did not create us to be.
We praise God and allow God to work through us when we love God with our whole heart, mind and soul and as we love our neighbor as ourselves. We love God and our neighbor with the gifts and talents that God has given us. We are called to be what God created us to be, no more: no less.
St. Francis took the time to love God. He took the time and risk to ask God, ‘What do you want me to do?’ God replied often and in many ways to St. Francis. St. Francis encouraged himself and others to be the person that God created them to be. He discouraged those who tried to be something they were not and encouraged them to be faithful to God's call to them.
I invite you to use the words of St. Francis below in your prayer: sit in your garden, journey to the local park, sit in the quiet of your office. Pray the Canticle of the Creatures slowly and out loud if possible. Allow the Canticle to speak to your heart. As each creature is mentioned and highlighted, be aware that each praises God as it was created to do so.
As you sit in the quiet, after praying the Canticle, take courage to ask God, ‘What do you want me to do?’ Trust that the God of the Universe will reveal to you the person that he created you to be and will give you the ability to love God with your whole heart, soul and mind, and God will give you the chance to love your neighbor as yourself using the gifts and talents God created you with.
It is when we begin to rely on God, trust in God, respond to God’s unlimited love, that we can reach out in service as we love our neighbor. It is then that we begin to experience Peace and All Good.
If you have any comments or suggestions for this column, please email me at bgrgic@paduafranciscan.com. Please know that you are in my prayers as you discern God's call in your life.
Peace and all good,
Bob Grgic
Campus Minister
Padua Franciscan High School
The Canticle of the Creatures
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.
Praise 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 the likeness of You, Most High One.
Praise 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 varied fruits 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, they shall 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.