As a child, I was first introduced to St. Francis by the monks at the Franciscan Monastery across the street. I would often climb the fence to pick fruit from their cherry trees, and they would chase me away. Maybe they forgot that God was supposed to provide cherries for me?
Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! Luke 12:24
Later in life, I learned that St. Francis is the patron saint of the environment, animals, and birds—not children seeking cherries. My appreciation for him grew after watching Brother Sun, Sister Moon, a film that Roger Ebert described as "a big, limp Valentine of a movie, filled with an excess of sweetness and light." Admittedly, the film had its flaws, but I was inspired by Francis' portrayal as a free-spirited, anti-establishment David standing up to Pope Goliath. I was so moved that I decided to get a statue of St. Francis for myself. I often wonder what became of that statue.
Born Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone around 1181 in Assisi, Italy, he was a wealthy young man who experienced a spiritual transformation and renounced his riches to live a life of poverty and humility. He founded the Franciscan Order, dedicated to living simply and serving the poor. Besides his love of nature and animals, St. Francis is also celebrated for his commitment to peace and his role in reforming the Church. He died in 1226 and was canonized in 1228 ("Francis of Assisi", 2024).1
Recently, I’ve been undergoing my own spiritual transformation. While I don’t have riches to renounce, I am committed to letting go of some of my excessive pride. I've realized that my self-focus has impacted my relationships with friends, family, and loved ones. In this process, I rediscovered the “Peace Prayer,” traditionally attributed to St. Francis ("Prayer of Saint Francis", 2024).2
The “Peace Prayer” shifts my focus away from personal feelings of hatred, injury, doubt, despair, and sadness, inspiring me to respond with love, forgiveness, faith, hope, and joy. It encourages me to prioritize others’ needs—seeking to console rather than be consoled, to understand rather than be understood, and to love rather than be loved. While this prayer is easy to say, putting its teachings into practice has been very challenging. Some prayers I use only once or occasionally, this one has become a daily practice for me.
The prayer concludes with the idea that true fulfillment comes from giving, forgiving, and embracing the transformative power of self-sacrifice. What are your thoughts on this? Have you ever prayed the “Peace Prayer”?
Wikipedia contributors. (2024, July 13). Francis of Assisi. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 17:55, July 22, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Francis_of_Assisi&oldid=1234201057
Wikipedia contributors. (2024, June 27). Prayer of Saint Francis. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 17:59, July 22, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Prayer_of_Saint_Francis&oldid=1231359307
There is a very popular hymn, based on the words of this prayer. The title is "Make Me A Channel of Your Peace" (also known as "Prayer of St. Francis"), and the music was composed by Sebastian Temple. A recording of it can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYz14jEoaeU