THE SERMON OF ST. FRANCIS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume III, Issue 149, 10 March 1876, Page 6

THE SERMON OF ST. FRANCIS.

Up soared the lark into the air, A shaft of song, a winged prayer, As if a soul, released from pain, Were flying back to Heaven again. St. Francis heard ; it was to him An emblem of the Seraphim ; The upward motion of the fire, The light, the heat, the heart's desire. Around Assissi's convent gate The birds, God's poor who cannot wail, From moor and more and darksome wood Came flocking for their dole of food. '• O brother birds," St. Francis said, " Ye come to me and ask for bread, But not with bread alone to-day Shall ye be fed and sent away. "Ye shall be fed, ye happy birds, With manna of celestial words. Not mine, though mine they seem to be. Not mine, though they be spoken by me. " 0, doubly are ye bound to praise The great Creator in your Ln s ; lie giveth you your plumes of down, Your crimson hoods, your cloaks of brown. lie giveth you your wings to fly And breathe a purer air on high, And careth for you everywhere, Who for yourselves so little care ! " With flutter of swift wings, and songs Together rose the feathered throngs, And singing scattered for apart ; Deep peace was in St. Francis' heart. He knew not if the brotherhood His homily had understood ; He only knew that to one ear The meaning of his words was clear. — Longfellow