Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

This is one of my favorite prayers, I thought of it often when we were at Riley. Everyone there seemed to me to be living all that this prayer embodies. To truly live like this, to think of others in this way is beautiful and I hope this prayer offers comfort to someone else. I listen to it put to music often, when I need recharging or a reminder to reach outside of myself. When life is difficult, it can be easy to retreat within and try to block out the rest of the world - I admit I am guilty of trying to cope by doing just that. This prayer/song helps me resist this temptation - to remember that no matter how difficult life can be, someone else is enduring greater trials, greater pain. When I shut down, everything negative seems to be amplified and to rise up. If I focus on channeling without instead of within - on faith and hope, somehow everything works out as it should. If you have never heard it set to music, it is beautiful - I love the rendition by Robert Kochis. I know you can get it on itunes, and other places as well.

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;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek so much to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love with all my soul.
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