St. Francis Of Assisi, The Man And The Prayer
Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi image by Author James Boylan and Bing Copilot
Who was St. Francis?
Francis was a poor Italian man who praised God for everything. He was mindful of God in all that he saw! He accepted animals by calling them “brother” and “sister” and urging them to praise God, too.
Francis, although poor in monetary riches, was wealthy in his love of God and had a life purpose of seeing the Creator in everything. He took the gospel literally and not simply as a means to an end of making himself more comfortable.
Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
Not just praying for peace, but asking to be able to personally implement peace.
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Love is the answer to most problems.
where there is injury, pardon;
Forgiveness is a cure-all for many, also.
where there is doubt, faith;
Faith removes doubts and questions.
where there is despair, hope;
With hope, so much in a tough life is muted.
where there is darkness, light;
Light brightens the darkness of the caverns in your life.
where there is sadness, joy.
You can not shudder and smile at the same time.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
When helping others, you are inviting the love to shine on you.
to be understood as to understand,
Look beyond the end of your own nose.
to be loved as to love.
God is love and, when trying to be loved, this often turns into self-aggrandization.
For it is in giving that we receive,
Like love, you must give it away to keep it.
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and that it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Dying ends the human experience and sends us back to our eternal life.
Thank you, God!