Canticle of the Sun

THE CANTICLE OF THE SUN

It is claimed that Noel Coward wrote the song "A Room with a View" whilst he was at his holiday home at Firefly, on the north coast of Jamaica. Whether that is true or not I do not know.

What I do know is that the view from the lounge window of that house, high up on the hillside overlooking the clear blue waters of Port Maria, is certainly one of the most magnificent views I have ever seen in the world. All I could do was just stand and look at the view and allow the natural beauty to speak to me when I visited it a few months ago. I found myself being drawn in awe and wonder towards the creative power of God. The lush green lawn in front of me,

the tropical palm trees in the distance, the clear blue sky above, and the stillness of the water below and the warmth of the midday sun seemed to carry me into the very heart of God and I found myself automatically in silent praise and adoration.

I had a similar experience two months earlier when I was crossing the Alps between Grenoble in France and Turino in Italy. After climbing up a very narrow road which clung tenaciously to the mountainside, I suddenly found myself in the most magnificent valley. Water rushed down the sides of the snowcapped mountains into a fast flowing stream passing through the valley below. The air was crisp and clean. There was no traffic. Everywhere was still and quiet. I could do no other but stop my car and sit by the roadside and say the Daily Office of Mattins in response to the natural beauty of the area. Once again, nature was transporting me into the very heart of God and speaking to me of the wonder of the creative process.

The scientific theories of the big bang starting the universe and of evolution by natural selection became irrelevant as I was drawn closer to God. All that those theories do is to point out to me that the creation of the world by God was a much longer and more complicated process than the writers of the Book of Genesis first imagined. Such theories do not destroy my belief in God as creator and sustainer of the universe but rather force me to wonder even more at his creative power.

"The heavens" do indeed "declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handiwork" as the psalmist of the Old Testament says. That is probably why the hymn of St. Francis of Assissi commonly known as the "Canticle of the Sun" seems to speak so directly to my heart of my belief in God as the creator.

I am sure you know the hymn I mean. It begins "All creatures of our God and King, lift up your voice and with us sing".

In that hymn St. Francis goes on to name various features of the created universe; the burning sun, the shining moon, the rushing wind, the white clouds, the rising dawn, the lights of evening, the flowing water, the fierce fire, the fertile earth and the fruits and crops - the whole created order is seen to be joined together in a symphony of united praise to

the glory of the creator God "Alleluia, Alleluia" "O praise him, O Praise him. Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia".

That hymn becomes even more wonderful when I consider the circumstances under which Francis composed it.

He wrote it in the context of darkness, suffering and blindness as he approached the end of his earthly pilgrimage.

The church around him was filled with corruption, materialism, and crusading violence. His beloved Order of Friars was invaded by Schism, and there was wholesale departure from the simplicity and poverty of Francis' earlier vision.

In such circumstances we could easily excuse Francis for being full of self pity and despair. But the darkest moment is often before the dawn, and so God's revelation of love and assurance was just about to burst upon him and within him.

We are told that in utter weakness, Claren had installed him in a hut next to her convent so she could look after him "for fifty days and more" .says the legend of Perugia. "Blessed Francis could not bear the light of the sun during the day and the light of the fire at night. His eyes caused him so much pain that he could neither lie down nor sleep".

In his pain and agony he prayed to God that he might overcome the temptation of discouragement. It is claimed that God answered him with the words "Tell me, brother: if, in compensation for your sufferings and tribulations you were given an immense and precious treasure: the wide mass of earth changed into pure gold, pebbles into precious stones, and the water of the rivers into perfume, would you not regard the pebbles and the water as nothing compared with such a treasure? Would you not rejoice? Blessed Francis answered 'Lord, it would be very great, and precious

and inestimable treasure beyond all that one could love and desire'. Well, brother, the voice said, 'be glad and joyful in the midst of your infirmities and tribulations. As of now live in peace as if you were already sharing my kingdom. ".

As the result of this religious experience it is claimed that Francis composed the Canticle of the Sun praising God in and through the wonders of creation.

This experience speaks to me because it is when I am anxious and concerned and afflicted with despair and despondency and therefore tempted to self pity that I go for a walk in the country and find that my sorrows are transformed into joy. I forget my trials and tribulations as I wonder with awe at the created universe. I see life afresh through a new perspective.

Alone with God and his created universe I find it very easy to be a Christian. It is other people who cause me the problem. Like the disciples alone with Jesus upon the mountain of Transfiguration or Moses alone with God upon Mount Sinai, I must leave the hillside by Firefly in Jamaica; I must leave the Alps between France and Italy and return to be with people and the everyday problems of human relationships.

Again St. Francis recognised this in his Canticle. Before he died he sought to bring peace between the ex-communicated Mayor and the Bishop of Assissi, between whom there was "savage hatred". So he added a reconciling verse to his Canticle of the Sun which is sadly often overlooked.

In verse 5 he writes:

"People and nations take your part,

love and forgive with all your heart;

All who long in pain and sorrow bear,

trust God and cast on him your care."

He reminds us that we can become one with the created universe in our praise of God, provided we are first united with one another through love and forgiveness. Then and only then can we lift up our human voice and with the created voice sing "Alleluia".

Just as the world of natural beauty can provide moments of "divine disclosure", to quote the words of John Taylor in his book The Go-Between God, so the world of human relationships can also provide similar moments of "divine disclosure". Sadly such relationships are often marred by human sin.

But this need not be the end of our story. Just as love and forgiveness displayed upon the cross were able to restore us to God, so our practice of love and forgiveness can restore us to that unity, one with another, which was his purpose at creation.

So at the heart of the Canticle of the Sun stands the cross of Christ offering restoration and reconciliation.

I do not believe that it was just a coincidence that it was at San Damiano, that Francis received the stigmata which led to him bearing the marks of the crucified Christ upon his body for the rest of his life, and that it was also at San Damiano some years later.that he composed the Canticle of the Sun.

Prayer:

As Francis entered into the joy and mystery of created things.

and in them discerned the life of your Holy Spirit,

and sang of their glory and of peace and reconciliation among human kind,

Enable us to see your glory in our brothers and sisters of the created order,

to love and forgive the whole human family,

and become instruments of your peace;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.