St. Francis Sings Us Back to God
Even those with only a cursory understanding of the Church can recognize the figure of St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis finds himself in many gardens as a statue only because he saw the whole of creation as the garden of the Lord. Struck by the beauty within it, he committed himself to being a poet of God. Indeed, “he was a poet whose whole life was a poem. He was not so much a minstrel merely singing his own songs as a dramatist capable of acting the whole of his own play” (G. K. Chesterton, St. Francis of Assisi).
Even those with only a cursory understanding of the Church can recognize the figure of St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis finds himself in many gardens as a statue only because he saw the whole of creation as the garden of the Lord. Struck by the beauty within it, he committed himself to being a poet of God. Indeed, “he was a poet whose whole life was a poem. He was not so much a minstrel merely singing his own songs as a dramatist capable of acting the whole of his own play” (G. K. Chesterton, St. Francis of Assisi).
Some of his famous words praising the Creator come from his Canticle of the Sun. In it, we hear, “Be praised, my Lord, through all Your creatures, especially through my lord 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.”
His Canticle of the Sun is full of the praise of God for brother fire, sister water, and brother death. Beauty gives way to praise and song. When we are present to beauty, we too give way to praise and song. During the Year of St. Francis of Assisi, I have been reflecting on ways in which this wonderful saint can illuminate the gift and mission of the family in the world today. Francis teaches us to be present to the beautiful. To contemplate the beautiful. And to allow that presence and contemplation to be birthed into praise and song.
A great book is Father Carter Griffin’s Forming Families: Forming Saints. In it he uses the four pillars that are part of priestly formation (human, intellectual, spiritual and pastoral/apostolic) to reflect on how families can be formed in the faith. In one of the chapters, he discusses the importance of beauty. He speaks of the beauty of the liturgy, art, literature, music, conversation, and of course, nature itself. He says, “nature itself is a marvelous (and usually free) way to experience beauty. Most of us live in a world dominated by asphalt, plastic, and digital screens. Getting in touch with the three-dimensional world of creation, rather than the two-dimensional world of the screen, is particularly vital today.” I strongly recommend reading this book if you are a parent. It gives practical and accessible advice that can inspire you to form your family in the faith!
St. Francis sings us back to God. He does not only say “Look at me,” but he says, “Look with me.” Francis seeks to lead us into his way of viewing the masterpieces of God. They are “pieces” of the master, reflecting and radiating the beauty inherent in the Trinity. No one is more beautiful than God- Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We talk about heaven with the language of “Beatific Vision.” Something is seen.
I encourage you to be present to the beautiful through nature, art, and music. Take nature hikes or simple walks in the park. Point things out to each other – the sunrise, flower, or hovering bee. Consider having beautiful art, especially Christian art, in your home. You can get prints from art.com of some of the great masters for reasonable prices. Sacred music should have a place in your home. There are so many sacred songs that can exalt our spirits as Francis was lifted. Listen to them. But don’t just listen to them. Sing! Francis sang as he was drawn into the beauty of God through the beauty of his creation. Perhaps you could sing a sacred hymn as a family. Or maybe on your own. Sing a hymn out loud even if there is no one there to listen! Maybe that sounds a little foolish. Francis seemed a bit foolish too, as have most of the saints.
Father Andy Laframboise is pastor of St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish in Reese and St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Parish in Vassar and director of priestly vocations. He holds a licentiate in Sacred Theology in Marriage and Family Studies from the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family.
