Reflections on the Prayer of St. Francis - Day One

Day One

Today I begin a series of daily reflections on the Prayer of St. Francis.

My job takes me to Amarillo, Texas at least once a month. In May-June, I went weekly. It’s a five-hour drive from my home in Santa Fe, so I decided I would listen to an audio book or two each trip. On one trip, I listened to “I Can See Clearly Now”, by Dr. Wayne Dyer. He reflects on his life, now that he is in his seventies and was recently diagnosed with leukemia. One of the most impactful and emotional lessons I gained from listening to the book was the impact of St. Francis of Assisi on his life, and some phenomenal experiences he had while visiting St. Francis’ home in Assisi. I decided I would closely examine the Prayer of St. Francis and incorporate it into my life. I found it online, printed out several copies so I would have one on the wall in my work office, one in my home office, and one in my planner book. So here it is, line by line.

“Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.”

Almost fifty years ago, I sang in my school choir. We sang “Let There Be Peace on Earth, and Let it Begin with Me.” It was a beautiful song, and I loved the alto part that I sang. But the words didn’t resonate with my 14-year old mind as much as the music. At the time, the Viet Nam War was gearing up, looming on our generation like a chemical cloud working its way to unsuspecting villagers. We knew it was there, we knew it was toxic, we knew it would be life-changing. But it was out there on the horizon. Around the country and the world, people were protesting and hippies seemed to use the war as a convenient excuse to take LSD and smoke pot. The local anti-war sentiment seemed shallow and trite. I was more concerned with cheerleading, singing, and making grades that were high enough to get me into college on a scholarship.

I graduated in 1970, and 44 years later I still haven’t personally experienced the war. But I see clearly now how one individual can be an instrument of peace. With letters to decision-makers, care packages to soldiers, voting (and not voting) with my dollars in the marketplace, I can make a difference. I can be an instrument of Peace.