When the World’s On Fire

When the world’s on fire.

Yesterday’s hope and fragile peace,

in ashes today.

Anger, fear, distrust—

the toxic fumes rising from these

desolate ruins of our unity.

Discouragement taunts,

seeking to have it’s way.

What steps do we take,

which direction do we go,

to move forward?

✨

“Lord, make me an instrument of Your 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; where there is sadness, joy.”

✨

Saint Francis of Assisi,

his words sing to us—

of Peace. Love. Pardon.

Faith. Hope. Light.

Joy.

These realities of life.

Anchors for the soul,

that make the hard days worth living.

In Truth—healing will come to the land

and to her people.

✨

“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. Amen."

✨

Enduring.

We smile. We cry.

One hand reaches for another—

to give of ourselves,

and to receive.

To forgive.

This is the key.

Finding courage and sweet hope—

together.

Did you pray these words for us,

Saint Francis of Assisi?

A whimsical thought, perhaps.

But thank you.

*****

Historical Note: The exact origin of The Prayer of Saint Francis is unknown. The earliest known date for publication is 1912 in a small French, Catholic magazine. The author was anonymous. Later, when translated into English for a Quaker magazine, the name of St. Francis was attached to the title.

For the purposes of my writing today, I have imagined St. Francis to be the author of this peace prayer. What might a 13th century Saint say to us in our tumultuous days? Perhaps the very words of this prayer. For as one eloquently succinct friar concludes, “...it resembles him and would not have displeased him."

photo credit: Ambrose Vurnis