Franciscans and the Liturgical Life:: Let Us Praise, Adore, and Give Thanks

About two years before he died, Francis of Assisi composed his Canticle of the Creatures. Although he was very ill, blind, and near death, this light-filled hymn emerged from his inner depths as a song of praise and glory resounding throughout the whole creation. The Canticle, in a sense, recapitulated the life of Francis, a life of prayer, praise and adoration to the living God of overflowing love. His fidelity to the Liturgy of the Hours, his sacramental view of creation and his Christ-centeredness, all reflected in the Canticle, remind us that Francis's life was, at its core, a liturgical life.