He was a young man born in Assisi. In his youth, he was cheerful, liked to sing and hang out with friends.

He thought of becoming a knight, a defender of the poor and oppressed.

He left for a battle, he was taken prisoner and returned home ill almost a year later.

He was never the same again. Deep inside he felt he had something important to do on Earth.

Then he heard a voice inviting him to act. Francis of Assisi answered the call and made a great revolution in religious thinking his time.

He called himself the minstrel of God. He loved music and wrote songs. It drew an arc of imaginary guitar with a stick and sang to his friends as he went along the roads.

Although there is no record of the melody, the verses of some of these compositions stir emotions still today.

One of the great songs that came out of his inspiration is a song several centuries ahead of his time. A song of sensitivity and why not ecological.

Francisco said that the creation of God was not only beautiful, but it was good. It was good because it portrayed the goodness of the Creator.

Francis acknowledged he considered everything in creation as a sister, brother and friend.

He loved the sun, moon and stars, the wind, the air, the water, and the fire. Every living creature, everything that sprang from the Earth.

Even when he became blind, he continued to compose. The colors of the flowers were just memories, but he praised them in songs.

For Francis, the brotherhood went beyond people. Everything, he said, comes from God, is bound to God and finds its meaning in God.

The song Worship God was written after a night full of physical suffering. It is the first example of vernacular poetry in Italian.

Highest, Almighty, good Lord, to Thee the praise,

The glory and honor and all blessings.

To Thee alone, the highest, they belong

And no man is worthy to mention Your name.

Be praised, Lord, with Thy creatures,

Especially Sir Brother Sun

That is the day and through whom You give us light.

And it  is beautiful and radiant with great splendor

And made like yourself Almighty.

Be praised, Lord, through Sister Moon and Stars

In the sky You formed them, clear, precious and beautiful.

Be praised, Lord, for brother wind, and the cloudy and serene air

And all kinds of weather through which You give sustenance to Thy creatures.

Be praised, Lord, for sister water,

Which is very useful and humble, precious and pure.

Be praised, Lord, through Brother Fire, through whom You light the night

And it  is beautiful and cheerful

Be praised, Lord, for our Sister, Mother Earth who sustains and governs us and who produces varied fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

The young and romantic composer had become the minstrel of God.

Spiritist Moment Team, based on chapt.  Quinze (1225-1226),
from the book Francisco de Assis, o santo relutante,
by Donald Spoto, published by Objective.
October 06.2010.