Which Prayer do you prefer?   Why?

St. Francis of Assisi was a mystic Italian Catholic friar, founder of the Franciscans.

He remains an icon to anyone who is ‘different’
and is an encouragement to queer folks in particular.

He rejected family that could not understand his calling in life to reject earthly things and live day to day.

He blessed and preached to animals, befriended a
violent wolf and protected a town.

He was known for his love of being nude, nature
and rejected his assigned gender of being a man.

He never married but claimed to marry life itself.

The church recognizes his feast day today, and in many churches this is done through a blessing of the animals and often people bring their pets to church.

Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

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.

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.

Reverse Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Lord make me a channel of your disturbance.

Where there is apathy, let me provoke,

Where there is silence, may I be a voice.

Where there is too much comfort, and too little action,

Grant disruption.

Where there are doors closed and hearts locked,

Grant me the willingness to listen.

When laws dictate and pain is overlooked,

Grant me the willingness to listen.

When tradition speaks louder than need,

Grant me the willingness to listen.

Disturb us, O Lord, Teach us to be radical.

Grant that I may seek rather to do justice than to talk about it;

To be with as well as for the poor;

To love the unlovable as well as the lovely;

To touch the passion of Jesus in the Pain of those we meet;

To accept responsibility to be church.

Lord, make me a channel of your disturbance.