Let All Things Their Creator Bless

On a hill above my house -- between a church and a cemetery -- stands St. Francis. I like to think of him looking over us, encouraging us from our rebirth in the church to our entrance into a paradise whose gateway lies in the cemetery -- looking over us, encouraging us, praying with and for us, a three-dimensional icon. It snowed in my town last night, a rare event. This morning, while sledding with my daughter, I visited Francis and prayed with him. And I thought of this canticle, a part of The Song of the Three Young Men from the Book of Common Prayer.

A Song of Creation

Glorify the Lord, all you works of the Lord, *
praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
In the firmament of his power, glorify the Lord, *
praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

Glorify the Lord, you angels and all powers of the Lord, *
O heavens and all waters above the heavens.
Sun and moon and stars of the sky, glorify the Lord, *
praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

Glorify the Lord, every shower of rain and fall of dew, *
all winds and fire and heat.
Winter and summer, glorify the Lord, *
praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

Glorify the Lord, O chill and cold, *
drops of dew and flakes of snow.
Frost and cold, ice and sleet, glorify the Lord, *
praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O nights and days, *
O shining light and enfolding dark.
Storm clouds and thunderbolts, glorify the Lord, *
praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

Let us glorify the Lord: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; *
praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
In the firmament of his power, glorify the Lord, *
praise him and highly exalt him for ever.