Prayer of St. Francis ~ Sarah McLachlan
I read a statement the other day that said ‘Christianity is not for Loners’…. and I was a bit disappointed, it took me awhile to understand the statement…. but I wondered who made that statement….after much thought I arrived to the conclusion that surely it was not made by a man/ woman who has seen or suffered solitude ……
“Lord make me an instrument of your peace”
Surely it was not said by a prisoner who spends his time praying for forgiveness and mercy……
“Where there is hatred let me sow love”
Surely those words were not spoken by a single mother who asks for strength and grace everyday….
“Where there is injury- pardon”
It could not have been the errant son who repents his erring ways…..
“Where there is doubt- faith”
What about a poor man struggling with a burden of his debts and a family? does he get rejected from following a communal faith?
“Where there is despair-hope”
What is to give hope to a dying man if not for the solace of eternal life?
“Where there is darkness- light”
Not all of us who are lost, are lost because we want to……we are lost because we had no place to go…….but we find sanctuary with the man who is our Shepherd….
“And where there is sadness- joy”
It is reassuring to know that the Shepherd knows his sheep better than the sheep themselves…..
“O divine master grant that I may
not so much seek to be consoled as to console;”
It was encouraging to hear today…..that he tought us how to pray…..he tought us how to ask….he tought us to call him “Our Father”
“to be understood as to understand;”
Faith however cannot be tought but has to be found….
“To be loved as to love”
He did not create religious jargon, Man did…..his message was simple enough….he said “Love one another as I have loved you”
“For it is in giving that we receive”
Society creates Loners…..Man creates outcasts…..
“it is in pardoning that we are pardoned”
We are what he made us, whether we are flawed to perfection or perfectly flawed …..he never did reject us……
So who is (less than perfect) man to say Christianity is not for loners?
“And it’s in dying that we are born to eternal life.”
Amen.
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