Sister Earth

St. Francis' Canticle of Brother Sun

The name of this weblog comes from a line in the "Canticle to Brother Sun" by St. Francis of Assisi (ca. 1181-1226). It is a beautiful song of appreciation for all of the wonder and goodness of God and of God's Creation.

As seen on the St. Anthony Messenger website:

The Canticle of Brother Sun

Most high, all-powerful, all good, Lord!
All praise is yours, all glory, all honor
And all blessing.
To you alone, Most High, do they belong.
No mortal lips are worthy
To pronounce your name.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through all that you have made,
And first my lord Brother Sun,
Who brings the day; and light you give to us through him.
How beautiful is he, how radiant in all his splendor!
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Moon and Stars;
In the heavens you have made them, bright
And precious and fair.

All praise be yours, My Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air,
And fair and stormy, all the weather's moods,
By which you cherish all that you have made.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Water,
So useful, lowly, precious and pure.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
Through whom you brighten up the night.
How beautiful is he, how gay! Full of power and strength.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Earth, our mother,
Who feeds us in her sovereignty and produces
Various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through those who grant pardon
For love of you; through those who endure
Sickness and trial.
Happy those who endure in peace,
By you, Most High, they will be crowned.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Death,
From whose embrace no mortal can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin!
Happy those She finds doing your will!
The second death can do no harm to them.
Praise and bless my Lord, and give him thanks,
And serve him with great humility.

Translation by Benen Fahy, O.F.M., from St. Francis of Assisi: Writings and Early Biographies, edited by Marion A. Habig, Copyright 1973, Franciscan Herald Press. (Out of print.)

Lenten Leap of Faith

Today I have started this blog, fearful that my words will go unnoticed, be found lacking, or worst of all, give offence. Recent lectionary readings have added to my nervousness:

"Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up [faith], as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear." Ephesians 4:29 NRSV

"If you refrain from trampling the sabbath, from pursuing your own interests on my holy day; if you call the sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honourable; if you honour it, not going your own ways, serving your own interests, or pursuing your own affairs [literally: or speaking words]; then you shall take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride upon the heights of the earth" Isaiah 58:13-14 NRSV

Leap Day seemed an appropriate date for getting up my courage and having faith that this weblog will "give grace to those who hear," and I hope that I have made good use of this holy day, the first Sunday of Lent.

Purpose

This weblog is dedicated to Nature and Spirituality, particularly, and but not exclusively, in the Roman Catholic and Daoist traditions, and in the tradition of the great Apache shaman "Grandfather" Stalking Wolf.

I use the word “Nature” deliberately, instead of "ecology" or "environment." “Ecology" has different meanings in the U.S.A. and Canada, and in popular versus academic circles. "Environment" has political and activist connotations, and while I wholeheartedly support environmental activism, that is not the purpose of this weblog. The term "Nature," with a capital "N," refers to something that is universally understood but hard to define. It connotes beauty, peace, inspiration, freedom, purity, goodness and most especially, those living beings, elements, and landscapes that have not been created by humanity.

Included in my definition of Nature would be humanity, which everyone will at least agree did not create itself. It may seem absurd to include those beings that as a group have done and continue to do unspeakable violence to Nature. As a child I was haunted by the idea that maybe it was not possible for humans to live without harming Nature. That was until I started reading the books of Tom Brown Jr. From his books I learned that it was not only possible but indeed preferable (in terms of personal fulfilment, health, and enjoyment) for humans to live in close communion and harmony with Nature, and that a spiritual connection with Nature and with the Creator is the foundation for living at peace with Nature and with ourselves. My goal here is to share that awareness with you.

I do not claim to be an expert in these matters; in fact I would say that I have barely scratched the surface. I only hope that by sharing my journey of exploration I will inspire others to explore as well. Readers can expect weekly updates with links, reviews, and personal observations. I also invite readers to submit relevant commentaries and links.

May this weblog be a blessing to all who encounter it.

I ask Saint Francis of Assisi for his guidance, inspiration, protection, and blessing for this endeavour.