Alleluia!
Let
all things their Creator bless, and worship him in humbleness,
Alleluia!
---Francis of Assisi, 1225
The text of this ancient hymn is attributed to St. Francis
of Assisi, and dates from around the year 1225. Let’s just think for a minute
about a tradition that still values the wisdom that can be gleaned from the
riches of the past. Thank you, Church, for preserving these hymns for us and
our children.
Now, on to the poetry and genius of the text. St. Francis
couldn’t actually cover “all things”,
but he covered all the bases he could with contrast. Listen to some of the
contrasts from this lover of all things natural: burning sun and
silver moon, rushing wind and sailing clouds, rising morn and evening lights,
flowing water and masterful fire. Can you
imagine a concert of voices made up of all these natural elements, praising the
One who’d imagined them? It would be pretty spectacular, I’ll bet!
And yet, Francis doesn’t leave out the human element of
nature’s praise, and reminds us that our voices are needed to make the song
complete. Hearts, both tender with forgiveness and heavy with pain and sorrow,
are called to praise God, and to cast all care on the One who cares for us.
Let all things their Creator bless…Alleluia!
