As a sort of follow-up to my last post, I've been meaning to post the Prayer of St. Francis. I loved this since I sung it in church choir as a teenager.
I think his prayer resembles the Serenity Prayer - in fact, I believe AA uses both of these prayers to teach health, surrender, and responsibility. It hits on the point where what I love about Christianity combines with what I love in Buddhism, Taoism, and other healing schools of thought.
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.
6 comments:
That is really beautiful. I think I've seen or heard it before, it looks familiar. Thank you for sharing it. I hope you're doing all right just now. I just recently looked at the old "dictionary" post on my blog and was laughing again at your "family friendly expletive."
the serenity prayer goes something like this
God give me serenity to accept the things I cannot change and the wisdom or courage to know the diffence
Is this the same St. Francis as the one with the animals? (Wow I am really showing my lack of theology knowledge!) Beautiful prayer.
Sharol - Yes, I think it is:
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
Stina - Yes, he's the patron saint of animals. No wonder I like him so much!
I love that poem too--one of my very favorite texts I have ever sung.
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