The Message

Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Design by Michael Podesta

I often wonder, especially in the last year or so, how Michael would feel about the current climate of our country, about the overall divisiveness and general lack of cooperation. I knew him well enough to be sure that he would be distressed and saddened but that he’d most likely keep it between him and God. 

 I recently spent time working on the Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi, a design that Michael created years ago and as I often do (not often enough), I took the time to actually read through it. I focused on the text of the prayer, found myself absorbing the words and realizing all of a sudden that I felt the text to be soothing, almost calming.

St. Francis is asking God to help him to become a better person…to be the human form of God.

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.

I personally plan to remember this prayer when the world gets too loud. I want to try to be an instrument of His peace, to sow love, to forgive easily, to have faith in humanity, to hope, to live in the light and to experience and share joy. 

Thank you, Michael and St. Francis. I got the message.

Peace.