prayer of saint francis

in light of (or should i say, in the shadow of) so many brutal and wretched and heartbreaking and atrocious and ugly things happening in the world, in hearts, in homes, in nightclubs, in schools, in the streets, in big cities and small towns, at the happiest place on earth, in the halls of congress, and in the media - i wanted to share some words that has been spoken around our home A LOT lately. the prayer of saint francis of assisi has been moving through my mind and clinging to my heart for the past few weeks.

truly, i hope that it is your prayer too. that it is OUR prayer. that it guides our hearts and words and motives and actions. but the greatest of these is love. Lord, hear our prayer.

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, 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; It is in dying to self that we are born to eternal life.

amen and AMEN