Brother Sun, Sister Moon
Saint Francis of Assisi’s
Canticle of the Creatures
reimagined by
illustrated by
For Mary Brigid Barrett, Richard, Elizabeth, Emily and Patrick Groth, a song of praise and thanksgiving—K.P.
For Rebecca, Kristin, and Benjamin, my shining stars, precious and fair, and for Saint Francis, who reminds us to be ever grateful—P.D.
We come to sing a song of praise to you, O God, the Lord of Heaven and Earth, who by your power and out of your love have created all things and called them good.
We praise you for our Brother Sun, who in his radiant dawning every day reminds us that it was you who brought forth light.
We praise you for Sister Moon and all our Sister Stars, who clothe the night with their beauty and, like you, watch over us while we sleep.
We praise you for our Brother Wind and every kind of weather, stormy or mild. For when he roars he reminds us of your might, and when he comes as a cooling breeze, he tells us of your gentleness.
Praise, too, for our ever-present Brother Air, who, though invisible, surrounds us and gives us life and breath.
Truly, he is a creation in your likeness.
We praise you for Sister Water, who fills the seas and rushes down the rivers—who wells up from the earth and falls down from heaven—who gives herself that all living things may grow and be nourished.
We praise you for our Brother Fire, whose strength warms our homes and in whose resplendent dancing light we glimpse your playfulness.
We praise you for our Sister Earth, who declares your mother love for us as she sustains our bodies with food and our souls with beauty.
We praise you for the ones among us who forgive those who have wronged them in the same spirit as you constantly forgive us.
And for those who must bear in this life sickness and trial, we ask for the comfort of your everlasting arms.
We praise you that in this world of hatred and war, you still give us courageous brothers and sisters who offer their lives to the making of peace. They are indeed your beloved children.
And, though we often fear her, we praise you for our Sister Death, who will usher us at last into your loving presence, where we will know and love you as you have always known and loved us.
For all your gifts—for this wondrous universe in which we live, for family, for friends, for work and play, for this life and the life to come—we sing our praise to you.
For this life and the life to come, we sing our praise to you, O Lord, the Father and Mother of all creation.
Give us, we pray, the grace to honor you this day and forever more.
