A friend of mine has been sharing beautiful photos of all the spring flowers blooming in her neighbourhood.  It is exactly what is needed these days.  A little bit of colour, a little bit of beauty.  A little bit of wonder at the remarkable ability of nature, planted by us or growing wild, that continues to exhibit life in such a dramatic way.  Whether a single bloom or a garden filled with an endless rainbow, these reminders of renewal and growth are a welcome sight.  They tell us that life moves forward, that some things are constant, that beauty exists and that there is hope everywhere.  We live in a spectacular world.  It is flawed, it offers challenges, it can be difficult and unfair.  But it is beautiful and it is worth caring for and preserving, sharing and celebrating.  Sing a song of thanks today – for all the blossoms that fill our view and encourage our songs.

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All creatures of our God and King,
lift up your voice and with us sing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
O brother sun with golden beam,
O sister moon with silver gleam!
O sing ye! O sing ye!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

I love this hymn. It is so joyful. If you take the time to consider all seven verses, it simply exhorts the whole planet to sing. What a great idea. Sun, moon, wind, air, clouds, water, fire and light. Sorrow, pain, tender hearts and death. Lifting voices; singing together.

We can thank Francis of Assisi for these exuberant words.  He wrote them around 1225, and they are considered to be one of the oldest hymn texts still in use. Francis of Assisi was a radical in his time. He abandoned luxury at a time of extreme decadence within the church, and encouraged a life of poverty and peace. It is no surprise, reading these words, that he has also become the patron saint of ecologists. Clearly he loved and valued creation.

Dear mother earth, who day by day
unfoldest blessings on our way,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
The flowers and fruits that in thee grow,
let them God’s glory also show!
O sing ye! O sing ye!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

So sing. Look around and see the world in its beauty. Treasure it – this place where we live, breathe and die. This place we share. This place worth singing about. Sing! And let it prompt a life worthy of the song.