1,000-Year Old Prayer

I was preparing my lesson for Sunday School class tomorrow when I stumbled upon this 1,000-year old prayer. It’s indeed the words of St. Francis of Asisi.

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.

Oh Divine Mster, 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 weare pardoned.

It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

It is in dying… that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.

There is no darkness at all

Do you prefer to sleep with lights off or with lights on?

Well, for certain I am the later one. I don’t  like to be in the darkness. Especially darkness which I cannot control. Among those darkness are black out and eclipse. But the most terrifying darkness for me is the total and eternal darkness of  sin. That’s why, as a Christian, I am longing to be in The House of The Lord when there is no darkness at all.

Last Sunday was the first Sunday in the new year. I had an awful start of this year. So I came reluctantly and almost without hope. Almost. There I was, when  I thought nothing could cheer me up. His Words soaked in my mind, a short and simple sermon from 1 John 1-4. 

down the via dolorosa, my God…

It was my hand that did the sin. Then it was Jesus’ hands that were nailed.

It was my my mind that thought of sinful desires. Yet it was Jesus’ head that was crowned thorn.

It was my feet that walk to sinful place. And it was Jesus’ feet that were pierced to the cross.