The Prayer of St Francis of Assisi.

Here are the words to the prayer of St Francis of Assisi:

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.

St Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals, birds and the environment. Saint Francis of Assisi was born in 1181 or 1182 and is the founder of the Order of Friars Minor, more usually known as the Franciscans.

The prayer of St Francis teaches us, firstly, how to live a life which promotes peace, further building the kingdom of God on earth. The prayer of St Francis outlines six steps to building peace, which are: loving all people; pardoning or forgiving wrongdoings; encourageing and supporting the development of faith; showing those in despair that, in Christ, there is hope; bringing light and goodness into circumstances of darkness and evil; and sharing the joy of being a member of Christ's family with those who live in sadness.

In its second half the prayer of St Francis teaches us that, as we engage in activities (a ministry) to the benefit of others, we too will be rewarded with the forgiveness of our wrongdoings and the assurance of unending life with God, through Christ.

More About St Francis of Assisi.

Francis, or Francesco as he is known in Italy, was the son of a successful cloth merchant, and grew up surrounded by relative wealth and luxury. As a young man Francis briefly pursued a military career, during which he was captured and held in confinement for a year. After his release Francis returned to his home in Assisi, where he then became seriously ill.

It is thought that his illness caused Francis to ponder his mortality and place within creation. After a few more years of physical and spiritual struggle, Francis received his calling from God in a mystical experience. In response Francis cut himself off from his former life, lived as a beggar in and around Assisi and set about restoring some chapels in the region.

In about 1209 Francis, and a small group of followers who had joined him, travelled to Rome where Francis sought permission from Pope Innocent III to establish a new religious order within the Roman Catholic Church. The Pope agreed, and the Franciscan order of monks was born.

For a more detailed look at the life of St Francis of Assisi see the wikipedia article: Francis of Assisi.