# Prayers of St. Francis of Assisi and a plea for protection from Hurricane Matthew
*2016-10-03*

> On the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, Bill Young reflects on the saint's legacy of peace and calls for prayers for those in the path of Hurricane Matthew.

## Interceding for those in the path of the storm

Today is Tuesday, October 4th, the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi. As we celebrate, we also want to pray for our friends in Haiti, Jamaica, and Cuba, as Hurricane Matthew is coming upon them. We pray for any places in the U.S. that may be in the storm's path. We ask the Lord to let this hurricane dissipate completely, leaving only a little rain and wind. We ask this in our Lord Jesus Christ.

## The Prayer of St. Francis

We cannot mention St. Francis without sharing his Prayer for Peace. It is known throughout the world, 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 devoid of peace than when it was first composed many centuries ago. May it continue to touch the hearts of all people.

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 sow 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 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.

And the blessing of St. Francis: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord show His face to you and have mercy on you. The Lord turn His countenance to you and give you peace. May our Lord bless you, amen.

## Reflections on Assisi

I received this prayer when I visited Assisi the day after Mother Teresa's canonization in Rome. The Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi is a beautiful church. Within the basilica, there is a church within a church where God actually appeared to St. Francis and asked him to repair and fix that little church. After it was complete, he received another vision regarding the indulgence of St. Francis of Assisi.

If you ever visit Assisi—or on the closest Sunday to August 1st—you can visit the shrine of reconciliation, pray the Our Father and the Creed, seek sacramental confession and communion, and pray according to the intentions of the Pope. St. Francis once told his sons never to abandon that place, for it is truly holy and the dwelling place of God. He noted that there, the Most High enlightened the hearts of the poor with the light of His wisdom and set their wills on fire with the flame of His love.

## The Sanctity of Life

I was noticing a news story today about a man who abandoned his only son in a car; the child died of heat while the father was distracted by his phone. This is a horrendous crime, and he should be punished accordingly. However, abandoning our unborn children is just as bad a crime in God's eyes. Those who perpetrate and support this crime should also be punished severely.

When voting for candidates, this must be a main factor. While some may focus on whether a candidate avoided taxes—and while we should give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar—killing an unborn child is a much greater offense than using legal tax deductions. God sees the murder of these children as a horrendous crime. We cannot be quiet anymore. We cannot let politicians say it is okay, even if they claim they personally feel it is wrong. If it is wrong personally, it is wrong by God Almighty. God's law is the only law we should be concerned about for our eternal souls.

## Closing Prayers

Let us pray for the right choices and for the grace to follow God's law. We pray again for those in Haiti, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Cuba, and the U.S. May this deadly storm dissipate before any more lives are lost. I am a poor sinner, but I am blessed, as are all of us. We thank the Lord for the gift of life and for the great saints He has given us. We pray for Pope Francis, our bishops, priests, religious sisters and brothers, deacons, and all ministers of Christ. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

*We must prioritize God's law above all others, especially regarding the sanctity of human life, while remaining instruments of peace and prayer for those in crisis.*