Creation Care 163 (Thursday, May 29)
CC 163: The Canticle of the Sun
May is a month of new beginnings! This month we're changing our Creation Care Thursday chat circle, moving towards a theme of the month, based on the Eco Bible, the Laudato Si', and other voices! This month's theme is God's Land, and this is the fifth of five weeks for May 2025. (See below to review this month’s topics.)
This week we shall focus on the beautiful Canticle of the Sun (also known as the Canticle of the Creatures), written by St. Francis of Assisi in c. 1224 a.D. Most of the stanzas begin with “Laudato sie,” the inspiration for Pope Francis’s encyclical addressed to all peoples, the Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home (2015).
The Canticle of the Sun has been translated into many languages and is often set to music. Here are the most popular verses:
Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures,
especially Sir Brother Sun,
who brings the day; and you give light through him.
And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendor!
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.
Praised 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 which you give sustenance to Your creatures.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water,
which 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 Sister Mother Earth,
who sustains us and governs us, and who produces
varied fruits with coloured flowers and herbs.
In this week’s class we shall learn a bit more about the life of St. Francis and why he is considered the patron saint of the animals and ecology, among other things. He is also known for his service to the poor and his humility, having lived a life of simplicity and compassion.
Here is a video to learn a bit about his life and listen to some of the verses:
And here’s a reflection from a Franciscan friar:
https://www.franciscanmedia.org/st-anthony-messenger/st-francis-and-his-canticle-of-the-creatures/
Read the entire canticle in the original Italian and the English translation at this site:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canticle_of_the_Sun
May 2026
Week 1 Eco Bible (Leviticus 19:9-10)
Week 2 Laudato Si’ (Sections 1-3)
Week 3 Many Voices (this month: focus on the Bahá’í faith.)
Week 4 Carl Sagan and the Pale Blue Dot
Week 5 St. Francis of Assisi and the Canticle of the Sun
Blessings,
Liz
Eco Bible: An Ecological Commentary
Vol. 1 ©2020 Vol. 2 ©2021
The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development
Authors: Rabbi Yonatan Neril & Rabbi Leo Dee
Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’: On Care For Our Common Home
©2015 Libreria Editrice Vaticana Author: Pope Francis
🌿 Meeting Details:
Date: Thursday, May 22, 2025
Time:
7-7:30 PM in Israel
12-12:30 PM EDT/EST
10-10:30 AM MST/MDT
9-9:30 AM PDT/PST
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