February 26, 2026 - Good Morning! It’s Thursday, February 26.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? A fireman? An astronaut? The president! When I was little I wanted to work in a zoo. And now - I live next door to one. Well, not quite. But sometimes it feels like it. Here’s a list of my next door neighbors - dogs, cats, cows, horses, ponies, sheep, goats, turkeys, chickens, and pot bellied pigs. At one time or the other, most all of them have paid me a visit. And I have to tell you - I love it!
St. Francis of Assisi was known as a lover of all God’s creatures. In 1225, shortly before his death, he wrote a poem to celebrate creation and the Creator, and he titled it “Canticle of the Sun”. It is thought to be the oldest religious poem in the Italian language. By the 1500’s, devotional poetry had evolved into musical pieces performed in chapels. Another name for chapel is “oratory”, which means “a place to pray”. These musical pieces became known as oratorios and grew in size and complexity until, in 1741, George Frederic Handel composed the mighty “Messiah”. Composers continue to write in this form today. A few years ago, Beatle Paul McCartney wrote a classical piece about his childhood. He titled it “Liverpool Oratorio”.
All of this history, all of this achievement, from a simple poem penned by a simple man. A poem to celebrate all creatures. A poem to celebrate our Creator.
All creatures of our God and King, lift up your voice and with us sing
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Thou burning sun with golden beams, thou silver moon with softer gleam
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
