Wednesday, July 6, 2011

WHERE THERE IS DARKNESS, LIGHT


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.

This famous prayer, often called "the prayer of St. Francis", is sometimes attributed to St. Francis, though it can only be traced back to the early 20th century. Regardless of its origins, the spirit of the prayer is certainly in the spirit of St. Francis, a prayer which has inspired countless people, including many injured, doubting, despairing or saddened people looking for God's gifts of peace, love and joy.

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