The Canticle of Exhortation to the Praise of God

With Franciscan Clarean Commentary

The Text

Fear and honor, praise and bless,
give thanks and adore the Lord God Almighty in Trinity and Unity,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Creator of all.

Do penance, bring forth worthy fruits of penance,
because we shall soon die.

Give, and it shall be given to you.
Forgive, and you shall be forgiven.
And if you do not forgive men their sins,
the Lord will not forgive you yours.

Confess all your sins.
Blessed are they who shall die in penitence,
for they shall be in the kingdom of heaven.

Woe to those who shall not die in penitence,
for they shall be children of the devil whose works they do,
and they shall go into eternal fire.

Beware and abstain from all evil,
and persevere in good until the end.

Clarean Commentary

Praise First, Always:
Francis begins with praise of the Trinity — Father, Son, and Spirit as Creator. The order matters: adoration first, then exhortation. For Clareans today, this reminds us that our activism and our penance must flow out of worship. Without praise, penance becomes grim duty; with praise, it becomes joy.

Urgency of Conversion:
“Do penance… we shall soon die.” Francis is blunt about mortality. For Clareans today, this isn’t about fear but clarity: life is short, and every day is a chance to turn toward God and justice. Procrastinated conversion is wasted life.

Mercy as Non-Negotiable:
The call to forgive echoes the Gospel: forgive if you want forgiveness. For Clareans today, this isn’t optional. Mercy is the beating heart of Franciscan life. Our penance is incomplete if it doesn’t soften us toward those who wound us.

Blessing and Woe:
Francis holds up two roads: blessed are the repentant, woe to the unrepentant. For Clareans today, we hear this not as condemnation but as a sober truth. The way of sin leads to death; the way of mercy leads to life. The choice is urgent, and we must help each other choose well.

Perseverance to the End:
Francis finishes with a steady exhortation: beware evil, abstain, persevere. It’s not flashy, but it’s faithful. For Clareans today, this is discipleship in three words: resist, abstain, persevere. Holiness is ordinary endurance, sustained by joy.