St. Francis Giving his Mantle to a Poor Man. By Giotto Di Bondone (1267-1337)
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, truth;
Where there is doubt, 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.
About St. Francis of Assisi
Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone (1182 – 1226), called Francesco by his family but better known to the rest of us as St. Francis, was born in Assisi, Italy. Son of a successful silk merchant and a mother of noble descent, Francis spent his youth enjoying life and traveling. A stint as a soldier and a serious illness likely played a role in his decision to ultimately devote his life to caring for the poor. He renounced his family’s wealth to live a life of poverty, preaching, and teaching. Founder of the Order of the Franciscans, he is also known as the patron saint of animals. (Painting of St. Francis by the Italian painter Cimabue, 1240-1302)
