FRANCIS AND CLARE One of the greatest hallmarks of the lives of Francis and Clare was the sense of gratitude to God which permeated their whole being. They never lost their sense of wonder, and their lives and their writings are shot through with praise and thanksgiving for his creation. They saw their own lives, and all life, as the breath of God, to be loved and cared for with the greatest reverence.
Shortly before his death, Francis completed his well-known "Canticle of the Creatures": Most High, all-powerful good Lord, to you be praise,
honour, glory and all blessing...
...Praised be you, my Lord, with all your creatures,
especially sir Brother Sun,
who is the day and through whom you give us light.
He is beautiful and radiant with great splendour
and bears the likeness of you, the Most High. Praise and bless my Lord and give him thanks
and serve him with great humility. In her Testament, Clare gives thanks for every aspect of her life: for her vocation, for her sisters, for Francis and the "Form of Life" he gave them, for the Church, for the alms they receive from others. She gives thanks, not only for her life, but also even for the gift of bodily death which will bring her to total fulfilment in Christ. Clare's dying words, recorded by one of the sisters, were of gratitude and wonder: Go forth without fear, for you will have a good escort for your journey.
Go forth, for he who created you has sanctified you.
He has protected you always, as a mother does her child
and has loved you with tender love.
Blessed are you, O Lord, for having created me! In today's world, often so full often of depression and hopelessness, perhaps we can learn to recapture the joy of heart which Francis and Clare had in full measure. The secret of their contemplation was a grateful heart, and this is something which we all can share.  As followers of Francis and Clare today, we, too, try to live simply and closely enough to the limits of our resources so that we can rely totally on God's love for us and rejoice in the wonders of all his creation.
"Earth's crammed with heaven
and every common bush afire with God,
but only he who sees takes off his shoes..." From contemporary documents about Francis and Clare  Francis:
"When the brothers were cutting wood, he forbade them to cut down the whole tree, so that it might have the hope of sprouting again. He commanded the gardener to leave the edges of the garden undisturbed, so that in their season the green herbs and the beauty of the flowers may proclaim the beauty of the Father of all... Even for worms he had a warm love; that is why he used to pick them up from the road and put them in a safe place so that they would not be crushed by the footsteps of passers-by... That the bees may not perish of hunger in the icy winter, he commanded that honey and the finest wine should be set out for them... We who were with him saw him always in such joy, inwardly and outwardly, over all creatures, touching and looking at them, that it seemed that his spirit was no longer on earth, but in heaven."
Clare:
When the sisters had to go outside the monastery, "she reminded them to praise God when they saw beautiful trees, flowers and bushes; and, likewise, always to praise Him for and in all things when they saw all people and creatures". 
"We must be tender to all budding things. Our Maker let no thought of Calvary trouble the morning stars in their first song."
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