Francis of Assisi

This week our assignment was to read about Francis of Assisi. I struggled with this blog for a few reasons. 

First. His name. Assisi. How do you even begin to know how to pronounce that. Staring at the word right now I can come up with at least 3 different ways of sounding it out. Ass-is-i. As-si-si. A-ssi-si. It's a mystery to me, probably  not as hard as I'm making it out to be. But that's besides that point.

Second. What we read about was the Canticle of the Sun which is an affirmation of a positive attitude toward the creation, which is typical of Franciscan spirituality. Why is this a problem you ask? Well let me share with you a small section of this canticle.

Be praised, my Lord, by brother wind

and by air and cloud and sky and every weather

through whom you give life to all your creatures.

Be praised, my Lord, by sister water

for she is useful and humble and precious and chaste

Be praised by brother fire

by him we are lightened at night

and he is fair and cheerful and sturdy and strong.

Alright, so some might be thinking. Just sounds like a poetic choice of words to describe his feelings towards creation. But, seriously. What does that even mean. To me, as I read this with my "reformed theology way of thinking", I notice Francis of Assisi making a connection between natural creation and human creatures themselves. What I think we need to be careful about is the notion of placing too much value on creation in regards to comparing it to living creatures. Creation, as stated in the beginning, was something to be loved and to be cared for but not something that is to be put on the same level as the human creature.

Anyway, just some confused thoughts and ramblings as I try to make sense out of what I just read. If you have any ideas. Please don't hold back. :)