The Peace Prayer of St. Francis

This prayer was not written by St. Francis of Assisi. It was not written by Pope Francis. It first began to circulate during World War I. The author is unknown, but early copies of it were on a card in honor of St. Francis, so it has been known as the Peace Prayer of St. Francis.

This prayer was too long to tweet. (Even too long for a Facebook post.)

It is short enough to memorize.

It is deep enough to live in for a while.

It is Christ-like enough to be prayed.

The Peace Prayer of St. Francis

Lord make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred,
Let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is error, truth;
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.