A Song of Praise to the Maker
Do you remember the Franco Zeffirelli movie “Brother Sun, Sister Moon” from 1972, an admittedly romanticised version of the story of St. Francis, with music by the current pop star, Donovan. As a young adult, I was quite captivated by it though I might find it a bit simplistic now. Our faith evolves over time and so does our understanding of those who have gone before us who are now part of the communion of Saints. We conclude the Season of Creation today with the feast of St. Francis, the Patron Saint of Ecology and I want to speak about him today with reference to today’s readings.
The letter to the Galatians speaks of a new creation and psalm 148 praises all aspects of God’s creation in all its variety and abundance. The Gospel of Matthew reminds us that we are held in the love of God and are reminded to rest in that love, trust in that love, and to come to the Lord with all that troubles us. We hear that beautiful invitation which is given to each one of us: “Come to me all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest”.
Francis of Assisi’s life demonstrated character traits of patience and humility, and trust in the Lord. Francis was born into a wealthy family but later rejected material wealth to identify with the poor. His way of life demonstrated the rejection of worldly goods in favour of gaining deeper spiritual understanding. Francis’s example encourages us to seek spiritual abundance through simplicity and strength during hard times.
His life reminds us that we are called to be faithful and to trust in God, while treating others with kindness and mercy, qualities that we sing about here quite regularly: “what does the Lord require of you? To do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with your God”.
Some are called to emulate St. Francis is a radical way by taking vows of poverty, chastity and obedience to the Franciscan rule, including several Anglican priests in our diocese. We are not all called to this radical commitment, but we are all called through our baptism to live lives of justice and kindness and to walk humbly with God.
Today, Francis calls us to live lives characterized by justice, kindness, and concern for the whole of God’s creation, including marginalized communities. By looking at our own lives and considering the example of Francis, we can avoid being caught up in a world view that is characterized by frantic activity, addiction, acquisition of power and possessions, and selfishness; instead embracing the way of truth, shedding light upon serious issues while always showing kindness. Francis’s legacy serves as a reminder that a life lived according to God’s will requires an understanding that goes beyond praying alone but also extends into action.
For Francis, all animals, and indeed all of creation were his sisters and brothers. In his Canticle to the Sun, he praises brother sun and sister moon, and even sister death, as part of the whole of God’s creation. In our current time when the world is grappling with environmental crisis’s, we can take some inspiration from Francis’s example of living peacefully and simply, protecting our environment by living eco-friendly lives.
What do simplicity and sustainability mean to us today? How can we extend the love of Christ to our neighbours both near and far? Something that we are all slowly waking up to is that while government regulations and policies are important, it is the individual choices and actions of every one of us that really count: our use of water and power, our consumption of material goods, our use of fossil fuels, the list goes on. The environmental issues that face us are daunting and it is easy to be overwhelmed. In addition to “doing our bit!” we are responsible for keeping ourselves informed about environmental issues, we are called as Christians to pay attention!
Let us therefore embrace simplicity, practice sustainability and cultivate a deep connection with God who is both our Creator and Sustainer, and renew our commitment to be protectors of all that God has created. Perhaps most important of all, we are to practice kindness towards ourselves, our brothers and sisters, the animals, and all of creation. The practice of kindness is greatly undervalued and is a character trait that is readily accessible to every one of us. On this feast of S. Francis and on the last Sunday in the Season of Creation, I invite you to look for opportunities to be kind today, to other humans, to the creatures in our lives, and to the beauty of nature that surrounds us. Let us make today a song of praise to the Maker. Amen