Make Us Instruments of Your Peace

My Franciscan brothers know the following prayer very well:

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'm thinking today that we might teach this to others. Originally I was going to write about how upset I am because I was once again rejected romantically (and very rudely too I might add), but it was just one of numerous mean encounters I have been subjected to this week. Writing the Prayer of Saint Francis above though has brought a stillness to my heart, and although there is still hurt, it is not as severe.

Live goes on. In my despair I now have hope again.