‘Thou burning sun with golden beam, thou silver moon with softer gleam, O praise him’
(William Draper based on words of St Francis of Assisi)
A clear and cold afternoon makes for a great walk and a chance to hear and see the sounds and sights that are hidden on cloudy, damp days. I set off having done my best to keep the low winter sun behind or beside me for as much as possible of the time but as is inevitable with a circuit, in the end the golden beam is directly in front.
Dazzled and with eyes down, the path turned slightly and looking up and over my shoulder, there was the moon, hanging in the sky as though it was a bubble that could burst and be gone, so fragile did it look against the high grey clouds, picked out by the rays of the setting sun.
As I pressed on, keen to get indoors before the golden ball sank below the horizon and the cold became sharper, the words of the hymn, ‘All creatures of our God and king’ came to mind. I do not often choose it these days as congregations mutter about all the ‘Alleluias’ but in our wonderful Suffolk countryside I cannot think of many better words to repeat on a day like this has been (2nd January).
Saint Francis wrote his ‘Canticle of brother son, praise of all creation’ over a prolonged period and it may be the earliest Italian sacred song. The words date from the turn of the twelfth century but it was not until the turn of the twentieth century that William Draper versified it for a children’s Whitsuntide festival at Adel, Leeds.
We are blessed by the changing sights and sounds of creation until, learning to be tenderer and more forgiving towards one another we find ourselves drawn homewards as children of God. Have a look at hymn 99 in Singing the Faith if you have a moment and reflect on what God has given.
A prayer
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!
Amen.