A Concord Pastor Comments: Pause for Prayer: THURSDAY 10/4

Today is the feast of St. Francis whose well-known prayer is a favorite of many.
In today's Pause for Prayer I tease out the meaning to put an even finer edge
on Francis' beautiful words...

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace...

Where there is hatred, let me sow love...

When politics tempt me to demonize the other side,
when my envy delights in workplace intrigue,
when my thoughts walk the edge of anger's path,
when I'm tempted to validate a violent solution,
when I think I'm excused from the golden rule:
teach me to sow love, Lord,
and to love as you've loved me...

Where there is injury, pardon...
When my words cut sharp as a knife,
when my idle gossip tears others apart,
when my careless deeds wound deeply,
when I plan and scheme to diminish a colleague:
   teach me to pardon and heal, Lord,
   as you've healed and pardoned me...

Where there is despair, hope...
Teach me, Lord,
to hope when I'm unsure of so many things,
to trust when I want so much to give up,
to believe when I'm confused and lost in doubt:
   teach me to share your truth and my hope
   with those who seem to have neither...

Where there is darkness, light...
Teach me, Lord, to trust in your light when all is dark,
to walk by your light when the shadows beckon,
to stand firm in your light when darkness threatens
and to share the warmth of your light
with any and all who seek it...

Where there is sadness, joy...
Lighten my heart with the gifts of your Spirit,
draw me out from childish self-pity,
touch my heart's ache with the peace of your presence,
lift my heart's burdens and free me to share
the gift of your joy, the joy of your grace...

O Divine Master...
Teach me find my peace
   in reconciling with others;
help me console my neighbor
   even when deep in my own pain;
help me come to know your love
   by learning to love those I know;

and in serving others' needs
   help me learn what I need most...

Teach me to give from my heart
   as your heart gives to me;
teach me to pardon my neighbor
   as you pardon me;
and deepen my faith
   that in dying to self
   I rise to new life,
   life forever
   with you...

Amen.

Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there is hatred let me bring your love.
Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord
And where there's doubt, true faith in you.
Make me a channel of your peace
Where there's despair in life, let me bring hope
Where there is darkness, only light
And where there's sadness, ever joy.

Oh, Master grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console
To be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned
In giving to all men that we receive
And in dying that we're born to eternal life.