Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

There is something about the missions that I find so romantic and beautiful.  I am sure the architecture and the gardens are a part of it, mixed with the history of it all.  On Tuesday, I was able to visit the San Luis Obispo Mission.  Between the breathtaking garden and the detailed floral vines decorating the walls of the chapel, a statue of a friar and a cross rising out of a bed of flowers draping the wall below, and fountain with a bear and two little native children, it had that romance of the missions in full bloom.  I walked around the grounds, but the best part was sitting in the chapel for a few minutes praying.  I'm not much for traditions and liturgy - they tend to bore me and lose my interest.  But since I'm not from a Catholic background, sitting in the chapel and reading through the card for mass and all the beautiful prayers and liturgy was a very nice moment of communing with God.

I went in to the gift shop and purchased a few postcards to send to my nieces and nephews (not only is it fun to receive mail, but I am getting a little bit of history in there to try to peak their interest and give them some prior knowledge (or a review in the case of the older two).  I also bought a postcard for myself because I liked the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi on it.  It is what I would like to embody in my life.  So, I thought I'd share it...

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 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.