The Three in One

All my life I have been singing "All Creatures of my God and King,"  and never gave a thought to from whence it came.  No one told me.  I guess I should have known being a seminary graduate, but if someone told me along the way that it represented Celtic spirituality, I was asleep when they spoke.  There is nothing about its origin in the hymnal although it does tell us that it came from St. Francis.  Francis was, of course, influenced and shaped by the spirituality of Celtic community which was all around him.  It is his poem from 1225 which gave birth to this hymn of the church.    

Anyone who wants to know about Celtic spirituality can begin with this hymn.  It sounds so many of the ancient themes of this tradition.  There is a strong sense of connection between the Creator, the creatures, and the creation.  It is a hymn which teaches that God can be seen, experienced, and known through every part of the creation.  It is not a hymn teaching pantheism, but panentheism.  And in the last verse which is one not usually sung since it is verse 7, there is an affirmation of the reality of the Trinity.  "Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son, and praise the Spirit, Three in One."   Celtic spirituality is strongly Trinitarian.  In many places it seems the Trinity is so mysterious, it is better to simply dismiss it.    

Too many times I have sung this hymn without allowing myself to grasp what it is teaching me about God and His creative powers.  To take it and read its words slowly and with a heart bent on contemplation or reflection is a bit frightening for many because it challenges us to a different way of thinking and to a broader understanding of God and the world around us, Christ at work within us, and the Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts.  Praise be to the Father for a man with eyes like Francis, praise be to the Son for a man with a heart like Francis, and praise be to the Spirit for a man with the mindfulness of Francis.  All praise be to the Three in One.