St. Francis of Assisi

The Peace Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace!

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon.

where there is discord, harmony.

where there is doubt, faith.

where there is despair, hope.

where there is darkness, light.

where there is sorrow, joy.

Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

to be understood as to understand;

to be loved as to love;

for it is in giving that we receive;

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

I first encountered this prayer in what might seem to be a strange source in 1985 in the book The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous. Although as a child we sang a song based on the prayer in church. It is a prayer that I wish to return to and keep close to me. It keeps me in third place right where I belong, with God in first and others in second.

Today October 4th the Franciscan brothers are celebrating 800 years of the order established by God through the humble servant St. Francis of Assisi who toke a vow of poverty. Franciscan rule of life is:

"To observe the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, living in obedience without anything of our own, and in chastity."

I was made aware of this and wanted to share it here on my blog.