the dead prophet

 

 

All creature of our god and king

            Here is a great Hymn of the church, written by a great saint of the faith, that has stood the test of time as another great hymn of the ancient faith, All Creatures of Our God and King. Read through these lyrics:

VERSE 1
All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou, burning sun with golden beam
Thou, silver moon with softer gleam
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

 

VERSE 2
Let all things their Creator bless
And worship Him in humbleness
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son
And praise the Spirit, Three-in-One
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

 

VERSE 3
All the redeemed washed by His blood
Come and rejoice in His great love
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Christ has defeated every sin
Cast all your burdens now on Him
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

 

VERSE 4
He shall return in pow’r to reign
Heaven and earth will join to say
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Then who shall fall on bended knee?
All creatures of our God and King
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

 

story of the hymn

St. Francis of Assisi, who penned this powerful hymn, was an Italian Catholic friar and preacher. Although Francis of Assisi was never “officially” ordained to the Catholic priesthood, he is one of the most revered religious figures in history. He wrote the words of the hymn  in 1225 A.D., in the Canticle of the Sun poem;

“Most high, all powerful, all good Lord! All praise is yours, all glory, all honor, and all blessing. To you, alone, Most High, do they belong. No mortal lips are worthy to pronounce your name. 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. Be praised, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars; in the heavens you have made them, precious and beautiful. Be praised, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air, and clouds and storms, and all the weather, through which you give your creatures sustenance. Be praised, My Lord, through Sister Water; she is very useful, and humble, and precious, and pure. Be praised, my Lord, through Brother Fire, through whom you brighten the night. He is beautiful and cheerful, and powerful and strong. Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Mother Earth, who feeds us and rules us, and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs. Be praised, my Lord, through those who forgive for love of you; through those who endure sickness and trial. Happy those who endure in peace, for by you, Most High, they will be crowned. Be praised, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death, from whose embrace no living person can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Happy those she finds doing your most holy will. The second death can do no harm to them. Praise and bless my Lord, and give thanks, and serve him with great humility. Amen.”[i]

This poem was based on Psalm 148, and later was referred to as Song of the Creatures.[ii] So, who is Saint Francis of Assisi? What makes him one of the most revered religious leaders of all time? Saint Francis was born in the year 1182, to a wealthy family where his father was a silk merchant, Francis led a carefree life, not having to worry about much during his youth, in the Middle Ages. When he was older, he joined a military expedition fighting as a soldier for Assisi and was taken prisoner. He Spent a year in captivity as a prisoner.  While a prisoner, Francis suffered from a very bad illness. It was during this time Francis had a vision that directed him back home to Assisi.

Some say, according to legend, that Francis was selling goods for his father in the marketplace when a beggar came and asked him for alms. Francis abandoned his wares and ran after the poor man giving him everything he had in his pockets. When his father found out what his son had done, he was troubled and angry at the exchange between his son and the poor man. “His friends also began noticing a change in Francis and jokingly asked if he was “thinking of marrying” to which he responded ‘Yes, a fairer bride than any of you have ever seen, ‘meaning his ‘Lady Poverty.’”[iii]

It was on a pilgrimage to Rome in 1205 A.D., where Francis joined the poor in begging at the doors of churches and began caring for lepers, that is where he had a vision of Christ saying to him, “Francis, Francis, go and repair My house which, as you can see, is falling into ruins.” Francis took this to mean the church. He was devoting to praying and sold some cloth from his father’s store, to assist the priest there. Francis knew at this point the God had called him to something different than his current lifestyle. His father became enraged and tried changing his mind; first through threats, then beatings. After this exchange, Francis renounced his inherited wealth from his father and embraced, even more, the life of a penitent. A life that was determined to live meagerly and to imitate the selfless life of Christ.   

Clothed in rough garments and barefoot, he began to take on a life of poverty, preaching a message of repentance and restoring run-down chapels. He soon gathered a following of men and women, who led simple lives without possessions, but with cheerful countenances and full of songs leaving a lasting impact on anyone who heard them. These men and women became known as the Order of Brothers and Sisters of Penance, or “Franciscans” and the Order of Poor Clares. In fact, my older sister is a faithful sister in the Franciscan Order, and lives in Pennsylvania.

It is said that Francis could be heard preaching to the birds, urging them to praise God. Those who walked by could also hear faint melodies coming from within the hut where he lived. It was at a meal, along with some of his followers, that he wrote the text “Canticle of the Sun” or “Song of All Creatures,” later paraphrased into the beloved hymn that we sing today. It is recorded that he died on the evening of October 3, 1226, while singing Psalm 142.

To this day, Saint Francis of Assisi is known as the patron saint of animals and the environment. He is also known for his love of the Eucharist, his sorrow during the Stations of the Cross, and for creating the Christmas crèche or Nativity Scene. Legends about him abound and various stories, prayers, and visions are attributed to him.

The words that Francis wrote in the Song of the Creatures, was later translated into English by William Draper, who at the time, was the  rector of a Church in one of England’s parish church at Adel near Leeds, which is about twenty-miles from London. Draper paraphrased the words of the Canticle and set them to music.[iv] It is not known when Draper first wrote the hymn but it was believed to be   sometime between 1899 and 1919.¹⁴ Draper wrote it for his church's children's Whitsun festival celebrations for Whitsum, the Anglican and English designation for Pentecost,  and it was later published in 1919, in the Public School Hymn Book.  The tune of this hymn is set to the tune of "Lasst uns erfreuen", a German Easter hymn which was published by Friedrich Spee in 1623, in his book Auserlesene Catholische Geistliche Kirchengesäng.  The hymn is currently used in 179 different hymn books, and in liturgical circles, tends to be used more during the Lenten season leading up to Easter Sunday.[v]  The words written by Saint Francis, are some of the oldest used in hymns after "Father We Praise Thee", written in 580 AD., by Gregory the Great.

Scripture reading

Psalm 148: 1-14

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights! ² Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts! ³ Praise him, sun and moon,praise him, all you shining stars! ⁴ Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! ⁵ Let them praise the name of the Lord! For he commanded and they were created. ⁶ And he established them forever and ever; he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away. ⁷ Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, ⁸ fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word! ⁹ Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! ¹⁰ Beasts and all livestock, creeping things and flying birds! ¹¹ Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes, and all rulers of the earth! ¹² Young men and maidens together, old men and children! ¹³ Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven. ¹⁴ He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his saints, for the people of Israel who are near to him. Praise the Lord!

devotional thought  

I wonder what life was really like back in the time of Francis of Assisi. What we do know is that he lived in what was known as the Middle Ages. Life was hard, most of the people, roughly ninety percent or more in some cases, were poor, and most of Europe was ruled by a feudal system. Many times, I tend to sit and wonder, if I were someone like Assisi, would I have been so bold? Would I have the faith to leave everything I had and follow Christ and live a life, as Christ lived? If I were honest with myself, I am quite comfortable here in the twenty-first century, living with the modern conveniences of life. Yet, in the life that saint Francis lived, he lived a life that was full of joy. Full of contentment. Full of praise to the one who saved him from hell. The first message he taught, was a message of repentance from sin and redemption in Christ, which in essence, is the most important message to tell.

When we look at the scripture of psalm 148:1-14, we see it is a hymn of praise. “This rhapsodic hymn of praise is the third of the hallelujah psalms which the psalter is brought to its close.”[i] it is a declaration of praise to a god, who is above all other gods, all other creatures, one who always has been and always will be worthy of praise. When we think of what praise in heaven might be like, rest assured, I am sure praise in heaven is purer, the shouts are louder, the declarations of praise are triumphant, and the joy is exalted. It is nothing we in our human minds can comprehend.

As we break down this passage of scripture it is important to note that here in psalm 148, there is a connection between praising god, both in heavenly praise 148:1-6, and earthly praise psalms 148:7-12. There is a declaration that all of creation, both the heavenly creation and the earthly creation are being encouraged to lift up the name of God and declare his praise. Praise to God is not limited to just being earthbound. There is a celestial chorus that continually sings the praises of God. It is hard for us to imagine a place where continuous praise around the throne of God is going on all the time. In heaven it is clear, motives are not mingled, a living face, the face of God, is seen, not imagined in a dark glass, as it is for us, this side of heaven.  It is good for us to be reminded that there is a mighty unseen company, who are not simply submissive to his will, but are rejoicing in it as the supreme happiness and the perfect freedom.

When we look at the first portion of this psalm 148:1-6 we see that the lord is conceived of as a transcendent being, dwelling apart from all his creation. Therefore, praise reaches him from the heavens. This ideology belongs to the developed theology of a late date, to where there is this notion that there are several heavens, anywhere from three to seven. Now we are not talking about seven actual heavens, but these heavens are arranged concentrically, like a series of walls about a city such as implied in 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. ³ and I know that this man was caught up into paradise whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows ⁴ and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter.” Or as superimposed one above the other as in Hebrews 4:14, “since then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the son of god, let us hold fast our confession,” or in Hebrews 7:26, “for it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens".

It is hard to try and fathom having continuous worship before the throne of God. Possibly that is due to the fact that we live in a day and age, where we have a culture that is secular and anti-god, we need to be reminded that even if we had one generation of the whole earth in revolt against God, there would still be not enough voices to drown out the heavenly choir of praise. Even the sun, moon, and stars (Jupiter and Mars, as the song goes), will join in on the praise. The silence that comes from those scientific, liberal, and secular voices, that refuse to acknowledge God, even in their silence, they bear witness to the power, beauty, and majesty of God. When we look at 148:7-10, we see a shift from the heavenly praise to the joining of the earth in the praise to God. In verse 7, we see the earthly order join the terrestrial one. When we look at god’s earthly environment, we can see the glory of God. “The weather is a witness, the contours of the land testify, and the earths fruit, animals, insects, fishes, and birds tell evidence”[ii] that there is a god who is worth of our praise. I find it quite ironic that saint Francis, in his poverty, was someone who continuously gave praise to the father. There is something to be said when it comes to praising God.

Merlin Carothers wrote the book prison to praise. In this book it is a firsthand account of  Merlin Carothers' spiritual journey from a hostile, bitter young soldier in world war ii, to accepting Christ and returning to the military as a chaplain. Prison to Praise is a powerful book, in that it is not about a prison with bars, rather it is about a prison of circumstances, and how through praise, we can be set free from our vices in life. Christians have been overwhelmed to learn that they can live in peace as they discover the secrets of a life of praise, and how living a life of praise unto God, will cause us to live a life that is more meaningful and keep us on our journey as a disciple of Christ. If we think about it for a moment. If we shift our thinking from anger, stress, hostility and we begin to praise the god of the universe for his creation, for his majesty, or for the things he does in our lives on a daily basis, such as allows our body to breathe on its own, allowed us another day to enjoy his beautiful creation, or how he has allowed us another opportunity to share the message of Christ to someone who may not yet know him.     

As we close, let us look again at the stanzas of this hymn. Each verse has “O praise him! Alleluia!” Alleluia, which tends to be used synonymous with hallelujah, comes from the Hebrew phrase hallel, which means to praise, to boast, to shine forth, to be worthy of praise, to be commended.[iii] maybe we need to readjust our thinking. I wonder what areas of our lives would improve if we would just take a few moments throughout our day praising the lord, just for who he is? I wonder, if we would shift our focus from the trials we are going through, and focus on praising god for who he is, if we wouldn’t begin to see a change in our hearts?  I wonder if we would just be real with God, and thanked him for what he has given us, rather than what we want, if our lives wouldn’t be more content, full, and pleasing to the lord? I wonder what would happen if we allowed the power of praise to permeate our lives, as it did for the psalmist in Psalm 148, I wonder what our lives would be truly like? Remember, if we don’t shout the praise of God, the “rocks will shout out his praise,” Luke 19:40.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, I come before You in awe and reverence, acknowledging You as the creator of all creatures and the King of my life. Just as Francis of Assisi found joy and inspiration in the beauty of Your creation, I too seek to appreciate and care for every living being that You have brought into existence. Lord, help me to make an intentional effort to lift up my voice in praise, joining with the psalmist in proclaiming the majesty of Your name. As the psalmist wrote in Psalm 148, "Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding."

I thank you, Lord, for the diversity and intricacy of Your creation. From the tiniest insect to the mighty lion, from the soaring birds to the delicate flowers, each creature reflects a glimpse of Your wisdom, creativity, and glory. Help me to always cherish and protect them, recognizing that they are all part of Your divine plan. For although I do not see it from this side of Heaven, just the mere beauty of Your creation cries our Your praises. Help me to be a little like Francis of Assisi, seeing the interconnectedness of all creatures and treating them with love and compassion, may I also learn to live in harmony with Your creation. Grant me the humility to see myself as a caretaker of the earth and to steward its resources responsibly, lifting my praise to You. May I continually be mindful of the impact of my actions and seek to be good stewards of the things around me and what You have entrusted to me. Give me a heart that is filled with compassion for all of Your creation and inspire me to work towards continuing to live a life as an authentic disciple of Jesus Christ.

Lord, help me to see beyond the boundaries of our own self and to recognize the value and worth of others. Help me to live a life that praises You, even in times of despair and confusion. Help me to praise You for who You are and what You have given me. Many times, I tend to get blinded by the circumstances and trials I am experiencing or going through at the moment and I tend to focus on what I need, or how You can get me out of a tough circumstance or situation, rather than what You have already blessed me with. Help me to in all things praise You first. Help me to take a different look at life, one like Saint Francis took. One that is selfless and totally committed to following You in Your footsteps, allowing me to be thankful for everything You have done for me. I pray all these things in the name of Jesus, who taught us to love one another and care for your creation. Amen.

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[i] George Arthur Buttrick & William R. Taylor, The Interpreter’s Bible, Volume IV, The Psalms and Proverbs, 754.

[ii] George Arthur Buttrick & William R. Taylor, The Interpreter’s Bible, Volume IV, The Psalms and Proverbs, 755.

[iii] Eugene E. Carpenter & Phillip Wesley Comfort, Holeman Treasury of Key Bible Words, 298

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[i] https://franciscanfriarscresson.org/the-canticle-of-the-sun/

[ii] Keisha Valentina, Every Hymn Has a Story, https://anglicancompass.com/the-story-of-our-hymns-all-creatures-of-our-god-and-king/

[iii] Keisha Valentina, Every Hymn Has a Story, https://anglicancompass.com/the-story-of-our-hymns-all-creatures-of-our-god-and-king/

[iv]  Kenneth W. Osbeck, 101 Hymn Stories, 20.

[v] David Bartlett, Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary, Volume 6, 460.