Prayer of St. Francis

A favorite prayer for many people is the Prayer of St. Francis. It is often helpful to refocus on what is important in life-the love, pardon, light, joy, understanding, pardon, etc. Doing so helps us look outside ourselves to the needs of our neighbors.

Lord, make me an instrument of your 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.

St. Francis is usually pictured surrounded by animals. For me, an image with greater impact is that of his encounter with the leper. As the story goes, Francis was on the road when he encountered another man. He was at first repelled by the sight of this person who was leprous. But rather than turn his back on a fellow human being, Francis embraced and kissed the leper and went on his way. When he looked back the leper was gone, and Christ was standing there.
Pondering that story can tell us a lot about how we are to act in relationship with our neighbors, esp. those we may not see eye to eye with or even distrust.