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.

A simple prayer... in a song

Here's one that we like to sing at our family sing songs, sung by the man who wrote it, Kris Kristofferson, a man who hasn't had the easiest life. It's one of those little gratitude prayers to God that says, basically, "What have I ever done to deserve the goodness in my life." The thing is, we don't have to do anything. God just loves, period. Even so, I feel I'd like to respond to that love more wholeheartedly. So here's my own third verse:

Thank you, Lord
for your love all around
in the sights and the sounds
of our lives here on earth.
Teach us, Lord,
to be loving and true
show us what we can do
to give your mercy birth.

+Amen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtQOY-0sViQ

A simple prayer for the New Year

As we stand on the edge
of a New Year,
we thank you for the old one
with all its hopes and dreams,
its joys and struggles,
its loves,
and its losses that made our loves clear.
Bless us as we step over the threshold
of a year yet to be lived.
Help us
to see you
in those who will cross our paths,
to welcome those
who need a place to be,
to reach out to those
who are hurting,
and to forgive ourselves
when we fail.
Give us the courage to follow you,
Compassionate God,
wherever you lead us in 2014.

+Amen.