(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.