Opening Prayers/Prayers of Adoration on Creation
Canticle of the Sun
O most high, Almighty, good Lord God, to you belong
praise, glory, honour, and all blessing!
Praised be my Lord God for all his creatures,
especially for our brother the sun, who brings us the day and who brings us the light;
fair is he and shines with a very great splendour; O Lord, he signifies you to us!
Praised be my Lord for our sister the moon, and for the stars,
which he has set clear and lovely in heaven.
Praised be my Lord for our brother the wind, and for the air and clouds,
calms and all weather by which you uphold life in all creatures.
Praised be my Lord for our sister water,
who is very serviceable to us and humble and precious and clean.
Praised be my Lord for our brother fire, through whom you give us light in the darkness; and he is bright and pleasant and very mighty and strong.
Francis of Assisi
Bless Christ Through Whom All Things Are Made
Inspired by Colossians 1:11-28
Bless Christ through whom all things are made.
Join seen and unseen in their praise
of One who both creates, sustains
who goes before, in justice reigns.
Who makes the lion and the lamb,
the farthest star, the smallest hand,
dominions, rulers, and their pow’rs,
the steadfast mount, the fleeting hours?
Who made the ore for blood-soaked nails?
Who made the thorns and whipping tails?
Who made the sun that would not shine
and made the tree on which Christ died?
Who makes the waters of our birth?
Who makes the dust where we return?
Who makes the way for us to die
and rise to everlasting life?
Bless Christ though whom all things are made.
Join seen and unseen in their praise
of One who both creates, sustains
who goes before, in justice reigns.
You can sing this poem to tunes with this meter: 88.88 (LM)
Suggested tune: POXON
Bless Christ, Through Whom All Things Are Made © 2000 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, www.revlisad.com
Fire of the Spirit, life of the lives of creatures,
spiral of sanctity, bond of all natures,
glow of charity, lights of clarity, taste
of sweetness to sinners, be with us and hear us.
Composer of all things, light of all the risen,
key of salvation, release from the dark prison,
hope of all unions, scope of chastities, joy
in the glory, strong honor, be with us and hear us.
Amen.
Hildegard von Bingen, Prayer to the Holy Spirit
I pray to God the Father, God the Son,
And to God the Holy Spirit,
Whose infinite greatness
Enfolds the whole world,
In Persons three and one,
In essence simple and triune,
Suspending the earth above the waters,
Hanging the upper air with stars,
That he may be favorable to me, a sinner,
Who righteously justifies all who err,
Who ever-living lives.
May God be blessed for ages. Amen.
Let it be so. Let it be so.
Eloe, Sabaoth, Ya, Adonai,
Eli Eli Lama Sabacthani.
Taken from “The Prayers of Moucan”, in Celtic Spirituality, Ed, Oliver Davies.
There is glory
within each sunrise, Lord,
a warm effusion of praise
reaching upwards and out,
connecting earth
with heaven,
creator
with created,
Shafts of sunlight,
arms outstretched in worship
encourage participation
from those who watch
and wonder,
at the beauty of it all
John Birch, Faith and Worship
God of majesty and power,
Who spoke and this world was,
Who breathed and this world lived,
Who counts the hairs upon our head,
Who sees our thoughts and reads our hearts,
Who loves us more than we deserve,
How can we not bring today,
Our sacrifice of praise?
For in the child at Bethlehem
Lies the promise of intimacy
With a Saviour who would die even for me,
And the promise of an eternity
In which to praise you more each day.
God of promise we praise your name, Amen
John Birch, Faith and Worship
Father: today we celebrate your gift.
At creation you gave us the gift of life;
Through the life, death and resurrection of your Son, Jesus,
you gave us new life;
At his ascension, we gained a mediator
who prays for us every day.
But today we celebrate another gift:
the gift of your presence with us all the time and everywhere;
the gift of your life living in us and through us;
the gift of Your self in the Holy Spirit come to us –
to enable us to live the way you call us to live,
to equip us to serve you as you call us to serve,
and shape us more and more in to the image of Jesus.
THANK YOU for the gift of you.
And may others know the same gift of your Spirit.