Kathy and I celebrate our 40th anniversary this weekend and we are on our way to Alaska. We used The Prayer of St. Francis (Peace Prayer) as a reading for our wedding mass. As well, we have an inexpensive plaque that sits on a dresser in our bedroom. My mother gave it to us many years ago. When we celebrated my mother’s funeral mass a year ago, we read the prayer, as well.
When I was in Spokane for extended periods, I posted a copy of the prayer on my bedroom wall. It serves as a daily reminder of what we are capable of as humans in relationship with one another. the world, and God in our moment-to-moment living.
The prayer is about the travails and their rewards that we undertake. When I think about love, I recall Thomas Merton‘s saying we call it falling in love for a reason. We open ourselves, risk being hurt, and the rewards are worthwhile. We mind, care, and attend to people and things.
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is error, the truth;
Where there is doubt, the 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. Amen.
I am unsure what access to the Internet is like on a cruise ship. I heard it is not good. That means I might be off-line for a week or so.
Teacher as Transformer 
Congratulations on forty years! May grace add many more!
Thank you.
I’ve always liked that prayer. Happy Anniversary. That’s a pretty significant milestone.
Thank you Dan.
Congratulations on your 40th. That is a lovely hymn, good words to live by.
Leslie
Thank you Leslie. They are.
That’s one of my favorite songs! Happy 40th! We celebrated our 47th in February.
Congratulations and thank you.
I feel myself singing it. Happy Anniversary!
We hear it. Thank you for the song Catherine.
Happy Anniversary!
Thank you Tina.
This is a beautiful prayer. Congratulations on your anniversary! Enjoy Alaska.
Thank you. We wil.
Happy anniversary, Ivon, and have a wonderful trip. Your prayer is beautiful. 🙂
Thank you Marsha. We did.
Thank you Marsha. We did.
Sorry I must have replied twice! 🙂
A life joined in love that lasts deserves uncommon recognition.
May the joy you have found together continue to spread far and wide.
Enjoy your delightful celebration
Thank you Eddie. It got to Alaska and back.
Wow, Ivon. Heartiest felicitations to you and your bride! So pleased that all the positivity you sow has also come back to you in a lifetime of love together. xx p.s. Lovely prayer–thank you.
Thank you Sirena.
Thank you Sirena.
Congratulations on your anniversary. Thanks for sharing this beautiful prayer.
Thank you and you are welcome.
Thank you and you are welcome.
What a blessed union! Happy anniversary in advance!
Thank you.
Thank you.
Beautiful prayer. Happy 40th Anniversary! (*’∀’人)
Thank you.
My pleasure, Ivon! ~ヾ(＾∇＾)
Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
AFTER ST. FRANCIS…WE WILL MISS YOU! RELAX–IVON, YOU DESERVE IT!
Thank you Jonathan. I have been. Unplugging helps with writing the dissertation
Thank you Jonathan. I have been. Unplugging helps with writing the dissertation
I love this prayer!
It is one that has been with most of my life and I turn to frequently. I spent about 2 years in Spokane WA working on my PhD, completing courses, and starting the dissertation. I printed it and hung it on the wall of my room while I was there.
Congratulations to you and your wife, Ivon. And blessings to you both! My mother was a big fan of St. Francis…and most of the saints for that matter. I haven’t seen or heard his prayer in a few years, so seeing it in your post gave me great comfort. Safe travels on your trip. It will be 41 years before you know it!
It will be. My mom gave us a small, simple plaque not long after we were married. It hangs in our bedroom and has for most of the 40 years. Thank you Elisa.
Hi Ivon
I hope all is well and I looking forward to your next post!
Tina
Thank you Tina. I am just getting my head above water again. I think I see a light at the end of the tunnel with my PhD. I writing my research results now, but that included 12 interviews (probably 35 hours or so), transcribing, analyzing, writing, and thinking about emerging themes from the interviews. I hope that I will be back posting, at least part time, in early to mid-August and back full-time in late August.
Take care,
Ivon
Enjoy your vacation to Alaska. I know you will find beauty wherever you go there. This prayer is one of my favorites too and I have a recording of it being sung, which I listen to frequently.
That would be a lovely way to experience the prayer.
Happy Anniversary, Ivon! May the peace of this prayer follow you into Alaska – and beyond.
Thank you Melody. It followed us there and back.
Reblogged this on Truth Troubles: Why people hate the truths' of the real world.
Thank you for the re-blog.
I hope you’re back someday soon.
I will be in the next few weeks. I am busy writing the final part of my dissertation. It has been all consuming.
Congratulations! Hope you had a great trip.
We did. Thank you Catherine.
Congratulations 🙂
Very nice to meet and learn more about you. Thank you for following my blog, I will certainly take time to visit yours as well 🙂
It is nice to meet you, as well. I look forward to following your blog.
Thank you so much to post the Prayer of St. Francis. I appreciate it.
You are welcome.
St. Francis blesses my gardens however the prayer you posted above gives me great comfort this morning. Happy travels and thank you for posting this prayer. Sheri
He is the patron saint of so many things. You are welcome Sheri. Take care.
Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
GOOD PRAYER AND HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!
Just a bit late I know, but congratulations of your anniversity and that long compromise you two have decided and done. Like my parents, I have no idea how those things work.
Now lets get to the serial stuff, Alaska? You are nuts there a grizzli bears out there that eat people.
I very much appreciate you taking your time to pass through my crazy blog and as always….learning from you. Great poem.
Thank you Charly. We never get close to bear. They are there and we see them from a distance. Stay frosty