# The prayer of St. Francis of Assisi
*2015-10-04*

> On the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, Bill Young reflects on the saint's journey of faith and shares the timeless 'Prayer for Peace'.

## The life of St. Francis

Today is Sunday, October 4th, the feast day of the great Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron for whom Pope Francis took his name. Most of us know the story of Francis; he started off a bit on the wild side in his youth, but through prayer, he came to know God and Jesus Christ. That relationship brought him back to the Lord, leading him to give all his belongings away.

## A timeless plea for peace

We cannot mention Saint Francis without sharing his Prayer for Peace. It is a prayer known throughout the world, and yet its popularity makes it no less meaningful. Indeed, its beautiful words are perhaps even more appropriate in these times, when the world is so needful of peace, than when it was first composed many centuries ago. May it continue to touch the hearts of all people now and in times to come.

## The prayer for peace

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

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be comforted as to comfort, not to be understood as to understand, not to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in forgiving that we are forgiven.

*True fulfillment and forgiveness are found not in what we receive, but in our willingness to give and love others.*