Best Loved Prayers and Words of Wisdom

there to expel the darkness.

George Fox (1624–1691)

Canticle of the Sun

Francis of Assisi began preaching in 1208 and received papal approval for the founding of his religious order in the following year. The last three years of his life were spent in solitude and prayer. He wrote a number of well-known prayers and poems, including the Canticle of the Sun.

Most high, all-powerful, all good, Lord! All praise is yours, all

glory, all honour And all blessing.

To you alone, Most High, do they belong. No mortal lips are

worthy To pronounce your name.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through all that you have

made, And first my lord Brother Sun, Who brings the

day; and light you give to us through him.

How beautiful is he, how radiant in all his splendour! Of you,

Most High, he bears the likeness.

All praise be yours my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air, And fair and stormy,

all the weather’s moods, By which

you cherish all that you have made.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Water, So

useful, lowly, precious and pure.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brother Fire, Through

whom you brighten up the night. How beautiful is he,

how gay! Full of power and strength.

All praise be yours my Lord, through Sister Earth, our

mother Who feeds us in her sovereignty and produces

Various fruits with coloured flowers and herbs.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through those who grant pardon.

For love of you; through those who endure Sickness and

trial.

Happy those who endure in peace, By you, Most High, they

will be crowned.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Death, From

whose embrace no mortal can escape. Woe to those who

die in mortal sin! Happy those She finds doing your will!

The second death can do no harm to them.

Praise and bless my Lord, and give him thanks, And serve

him with great humility.

St Francis of Assisi (1181–1226)

Caring friendship

Henri Nouwen was a Dutch Catholic priest who wrote widely on the spiritual life. After teaching for many years he left America for Canada, where he lived as pastor in a community for men and women with learning disablities.

We tend to look at caring as an attitude of the strong toward

the weak, of the powerful toward the powerless, of the haves

toward the have-nots ... Still, when we honestly ask ourselves

which persons in our lives mean the most to us, we often find

that it is those who, instead of giving much advice, solutions, or

cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our

wounds with a gentle and tender hand. The friend who can be

silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay

with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate

not-knowing, not-curing, not-healing and face with us the reality

of our powerlessness, that is the friend who cares.

Henri Nouwen (1932–1996)