THE CANTICLE OF THE SUN © AMANDA LIM

The Canticle of the Sun and Ecolinguistics 

“Ecolinguistics is the study of the impact of language on the life-sustaining relationships among humans, other organisms and the physical environment. It is normatively orientated towards preserving relationships which sustain life.”

The Canticle of the Sun, written by the great saint himself, is an intimate expression of glorifying God with all His creation. Using ecolinguistics, we can analyse how the discourse of this prayer encourages the fraternity of nature, which ultimately has the potential to encourage readers towards preservation of ecological systems like our own family. 

In St. Francis’ addressing of ‘Brother Sun’ and ‘Sister Moon’, it reflects a deep epiphany and conviction of the interconnectedness between humanity and nature such that it invokes an urge to extend human kinship with the earth and all in it. With his sentimental discourse of nature, it is plausible that many would simply identify St. Francis for a starry-eyed nature romantic. However, in order to truly understand this expression of nature, it is crucial to recognise that the essence of his love for creation stems from a profound intimacy with the Creator. His deep realisation and knowledge that God, the first source of love, created all things for love.

Through a life-changing encounter with Christ who has called all of humanity to a personal relationship, the Gospel of Brotherhood became the centrality of St. Francis’ preaching, which explains his use of sibling terms to both his companions and creation alike. 

“They are all to be known as ‘Friars Minor’ (Little Brothers) without distinction, and they should be prepared to wash one another’s feet.”

‘Friar’, meaning brother, became one of the most sacred words in St. Francis’ vocabulary. To him, ‘Friar’ indicates a personal and unique familial tie with the other. St. Francis understood the depth of intimacy God was calling him and all human beings to, “I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends…” (John 15:15). ‘Friar Christ’ as the source of love extends this communion with his fellow brethren, and upon receiving this love St. Francis inevitably extends it to ‘Friar Sun’, ‘Friar Wind’, ‘Sister Moon’ and ‘Sister Water’.

“Just as the pope was his brother, so was the sparrow alike.”

This conception of the world as one vast ‘friary’, demonstrates the unique and indispensable dignity of every single entity on earth. It also stems from a Christian doctrine of the Holy Trinity − the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This knowledge of God as relational and a community of persons influenced the Franciscan view of the earth and all its elements as a holistic system. This interdependent and reciprocal kinship between God, humans and nature was the core of St. Francis’ Christian life. 

The language of the Canticle of the Sun describes both God and creation as active agents as opposed to the traditional representation of humans acting in a unidirectional way on a passive environment. This language restores the value of nature and evokes a sense of humility in mankind, knowing that we do not have full power and control over our environment like we think we do. It blurs the human-nature boundary and emphasises the oneness in all creation, human and nature alike. It imposes a dignity of Mother Earth and all in it, something so often taken forgranted by modern civilisation. 

Read on about how St. Francis influenced an ethic of care for creation