Written by Barb Spies, OFS, Director of Mission Services and Pastoral Care

It’s still Spring for a few more days. We can see the beauty of creation blossoming outside. The grounds at Felician Village are filled with new life. My husband checks on the flowers he’s planted each day and marvels at their growth.

This year is the 800th anniversary of St. Francis writing the Canticle of the Creatures. It is one of my favorite writings of Francis. He reminds us that every creature is unique. All of creation is a gift, and we all live in relationship with each other. John Duns Scotus, OFM, a friar who lived in the late 1200s and early 1300s, talked about the “thisness” of each part of creation. It’s a funny word for describing the uniqueness of all that God has put on this earth. This tree. This rock. This person. This bird. This plant. This dog. All of it has its own special qualities. We would be missing something important without each aspect of what God placed here.

I invite you to look at the beautiful stained glass in the Blessed Angela Chapel on our campus. Each window tells part of this story of creation. It reminds us to praise God for all that he has offered to us in this beautiful world. We are stewards of creation. We are meant to care for each other and for creation as best we can.  Please enjoy this snippet from the Canticle of the Creatures:

Praised be you, my Lord

with all your creatures,

especially Sir Brother Sun,

who is the day through whom

you bring us light.

And he is lovely, shining

with great splendor,

for he heralds you, Most High.

Blessed Angela: “Look at everything with the eyes of faith and accept everything as coming from God.”