The Gift that Keeps on Giving

"Prayer of St. Francis of Assissi:

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;

and where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master, grant that I may never 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." (Our Catholic Prayers 2021)

This beautiful prayer attributed to St. Francis of Assissi is both simple and yet so profound and applicable to all times. He used antithesis to show that being a faithful active catholic means reacting to everything negative and evil in the secular world with selfless love. I could go on for hours expounding upon every line of this prayer with concrete examples and anecdotal advice. But I would like to focus specifically on the line that states that it is in giving that we receive. For we truly receive much more than we give when we share God's word with others and help bring them closer to our Father in heaven. I have several friends whom I have met through discussions about faith and the development of a relationship with God. Every one of those friendships began with me offering something of myself as a gift. I would share experiences and wisdom with them that would help them in their lives. But in return, the wisdom, advice, and friendship I received in return far exceeded my own initial offerings. Can you think of a few times in your life when you were generous with someone and felt as if they were the ones being generous with you?

Peace be with you all.

Church of St. Francis

Prayers, Our Catholic. “The Prayer of ST. Francis.” Our Catholic Prayers: The Prayer of St. Francis, Our Catholic Prayers, 2021, www.ourcatholicprayers.com/the-prayer-of-st-francis.html.