Prayer of St Francis

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



I was introduced to this song recently when I bought Sarah McLachlan's "Rarities, B-Sides, and Other Stuff 2" album. It took a while to understand the lyrics, but I LOVE it! It's the Prayer of St Francis of Assisi, who happens to be my college History of Civ teacher's all-time superhero. The professor got emotional talking about St Francis, and that's always stuck with me.

What impresses me most about the song is that it sets forth the exact Christlike attributes that I want to embody - within myself and to inspire in others. (I'm just lacking in courage and confidence) This could be a mission statement for me.