(This article originally appeared in the TAU-USA Spring 2025  Issue #115)

Canticle of the Creatures Reflections – Part 1

 Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind,

and through the air, cloudy and serene, and every kind of weather,

through whom You give sustenance to Your creatures.

Brother Wind

by Francesco Jim Doyle, OFS, and Miriam Mangrobang, OFS

Marianne Cope Fraternity in Oahu, Hawaii

We live in Hawaii, so the stanza on Brother Wind is particularly meaningful for us here. We are blessed to have the trade winds, which Hawaii is well-known for and which we experience very often in profound and beautiful ways.

Since we are one of the most isolated island groups in the world, Brother Wind blows across thousands of miles of open ocean, many in the form of trade winds, that encompass the Hawaiian Islands. These winds, which used to facilitate westward sailing and trade routes, help to bring moisture, cool temperatures, and rainfall. These moderate our climate, so that seasonal differences are minor and contribute to our lush tropical environment.

Brother Wind brings life itself and what a life it is!

The trade winds bring clouds, which hit the barrier of our volcanic mountains and release the water that we drink, grow our food, and cleanse ourselves and our environment.

Birds of every color imaginable, many of which only live in Hawaii, fly through the air on these gentle winds.

Flowers of every color and scent grace our land, which we use to make lei to greet and show love for one another.

One can often smell the flowers just by walking around and then Brother Wind carries the scents to every corner and space on the islands and even inside our homes. Each flower has a unique scent and a different meaning in our Hawaiian culture and life.

Some leaves and ferns even have scents ranging from subtle to overwhelming, which take one’s breath away and transport us closer to God. One can smell the scent of the ocean even in the mountains with the wind, as well as the scent of the rain there and even on the beaches.

We are truly and deeply blessed by Brother Wind.

By Donna Hollis, OFS
National Executive Committee Councilor

The Holy Spirit is always attentive within us; are we listening? 

.                 Donna Hollis, OFS

Relationships are built on open hearts and trust. The Spirit empowers Jesus to be continually present in the world. God’s Spirit conceives Jesus, initiates his public ministry and sustains his Spiritual life. The Spirit is the driving force of who we are and become. Are we attuned to the heartbeat of God? Do we listen to the voice of the Spirit within each of our hearts?

In the Scriptures the Spirit is called the “Ruach”, “Pneuma”, and “Shekhinah” (the wind/breath/ and dwelling.) We must be guided by the Spirit in all that we do. We work with the movement of the Spirit as wind, light and breath to change us and empower us to be agents of change.

What does the relationship between you and the Holy Spirit look like? When we allow the Spirit to fill our lives, we follow the rhythm of the Spirit. We then are guided by the Spirit to become new creatures.

The love of the Spirit will empower us to generate justice and mercy, filling the world with God’s love. We each contribute to the building of the reign of God. It is a task that calls all of us to enable us to understand the nature of God so that we might be able to enter the Transformation.

The Holy Spirit transforms us to become the best that we can be by our love. Love is the force that challenges us to move towards justice and wholeness. Just as Jesus was empowered by the Spirit, now the followers of Jesus are empowered by the same Spirit showing compassion. “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you and pray for those who treat you badly. Treat others the way you want them to treat you. (Luke 6:27-30)

The gift of the Spirit is God’s own power to love unconditionally and to transform the world by that power. The Spirit is experienced as the ‘warmth of God’s love that can be felt.’ To enter a relationship with Christ we must let go of ourselves, surrender control of our lives and allow the Spirit to be given to us. The highest form of self possession is the capacity to give ourselves away.

We have a choice – live our own agenda or let go and be taken up into the Spirit’s movement. It will challenge and transform you to become the best that you can be by or love and contribution to others. It is a task that calls all of us.

I want to learn to be who God really created me to be and I think all God wants me to be is who I really am.