FS #83: Theology of Art, Part 3 – Jul 09 – Homily – Fr Terrance

 

Fr Terrance gave the homily at Bloomington, IN, on July 9, 2024, on how the poetry and songs of St Francis were the most sublime prayers and praises of God's great works, and how they profoundly affected the spirituality and even the literary culture of his time and place. This is a continuation of his series on Franciscan spirituality and the subsection, "Theology of Art," emphasizing the place of Art in Franciscan understanding and how it should lead us to God.

Father discussed the artistic soul of St. Francis, emphasizing his role as a poet who transformed mystical experiences into poetic expressions, notably through his "Canticle of the Sun." This canticle, which parallels the "Canticle of the Three Young Men" from Daniel 3:57-88 - Hymn of praise from the fiery furnace and Psalm 148 - All creation praises the Lord, stands out for its spiritual depth. St. Francis's work surpasses even Dante's mystical heights, praising God and celebrating the beauty and brotherhood of all creation. His hymns invoke various elements of nature, attributing to them a voice of praise for their creator. Unlike Psalm 148 - All creation praises the Lord, which directly praises creatures, Francis turns to the Lord, seeing in every creature a reflection of God's glory. His poetry is a profound act of worship and a testament to his artistic originality.

St. Francis's work inspired Italian literature, with Dante himself echoing Francis's themes of divine love in his "Paradiso." Father concluded by encouraging us to see the good in life, as St. Francis did, which brings us closer to seeing the face of God.

00:00 - Introduction
00:14 - St. Francis as a Poet
00:46 - Canticle of the Sun
01:08 - Comparison with Biblical Hymns
02:37 - Interpretation of Psalm 148
03:29 - Hymn of Praise and Beauty
04:43 - Influence on Italian Literature

This is a continuation of his series of homilies on Franciscan Spirituality - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNN151zTIO4&list=PLejh_e0-LN4xgMllKrzSasL2Hljd5BHom
and the subsection "Theology of Art."

The material for this series comes primarily from Ciccarelli, Marciano M., "I capisaldi della spiritualità francescana" in Italian, which translates as "The Cornerstones of Franciscan Spirituality." No English translations of this book exist at the time of this recording.

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. Nicholas Pieck and companions - Opt Mem - http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=4853
Readings: Tuesday 14th Week of Ordinary Time - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/070924.cfm
1st: hos 8:4-7, 11-13
Resp: psa 115:3-10
Gsp: mat 9:32-38

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=672&r=1644

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