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Animal Rights History Timeline » [c485-1450] Medieval Ages » Saint Francis Assisi

Saint Francis Assisi

Thomas Celano, First Life of Saint Francis

The Love That He Had Toward All Creatures For the Sake of the Creator and a Description of Both Aspects of His Person

[1228-1229] Thomas of Celano, "The Love That He Had Toward All Creatures For the Sake of the Creator and a Description of Both Aspects of His Person," ch. 29 in The Life of Saint Francis reprinted in Francis of Assisi, Early Documents: The Saint (New York, New City Press: 1999; Google Books: Online Library of Free eBooks: Online Preview).

To enumerate and recount all the things
our glorious father Francis did
and taught while living in the flesh
would be a lengthy or even impossible task.
who could ever express the deep affection he bore
fore all things that belong to God?
Or who would be able to tell
of the sweet tenderness enjoyed
while contemplating in creatures
the wisdom, power, and goodness of the Creator?
From this reflection
be often overflowed
with amazing, unspeakable joy
as he looked at the sun,
gazed at the moon, or observed the stars in the sky.
What simple piety!
What pious simplicity!

Even for worms he had a warm love, since he had read this text about the Savior: I am a worm and not a man. That is why he used to pick them up from the road and put them in a safe place so that they would not be crushed by the footsteps of passerby.

What shall I say about the other lesser creatures? In the winter he had honey or the best wine put out for the bees so that they would not perish from the cold. He used to extol the artistry of their work and their remarkable ingenuity, giving glory to the Lord. With such an outpouring, he often used up an entire day or more in praise of them and other creatures.

Finally, he used to call all creatures
by the name of "brother" and "sister"
and in a wonderful way, unknown to others,
he could discern the secrets of the heart of creatures
like someone who has already passed
into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

O good Jesus
with the angles in heaven
he now praises you as wonder,
who, when placed on earth,
preached you as lovable to all creatures. (Saint, 250-1)