A bit of irresistible Francis lore

If you've been around these moodlings for any length of time, you'll know I have a special appreciation for St. Francis of Assisi, whose feast day we celebrate today. He's the patron saint of animals, simplicity, and ecology, and the founder of the Franciscan community that some of my favourite people are part of. 

Looking back over 12 years of Simple Moodlings (yup, I missed another Moodle-versary on September 19th, oh well), I see frequent mentions of St. Francis among them, too many to list here.

But I can't resist re-moodling this link to my favourite bit of St. Francis lore (I wish I was the genius who wrote it) -- God and St. Francis talk about lawns.

And I'll leave you all with a simple prayer that I think he would have liked. St. Francis addressed Brother Sun and Sister Moon like ordinary people, and I suspect he would have spoken to Father Sky and Mother Earth, too, and resonated with Indigenous spirituality as a whole.

We prayed this prayer at our Standing Stones service at Community of Emmanuel this past Sunday, a simple prayer that includes sky, earth, and the four directions. It's a wonderful way to wrap up the Month of Creation:

O Father Sky,

Hear us and make us strong.

O Mother Earth,

Hear us and give us support.

O Spirit of the East,

Send us your wisdom.

O Spirit of the South,

May we tread your path of life.

O Spirit of the West,

May we always be ready for the long journey.

O Spirit of the North,

Purify us with your cleansing winds.

Hiy Hiy, Amen.