Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

When the disciples encountered the risen Christ, their lives changed, their heart changed, their actions changed, and their courage changed. The way they loved changed. And their mission for life changed. And when you ever encounter Him, everything in your life will change. But let me warn you - it may not be what you are expecting. Encountering the risen Savior may compel you to do things you would never do without that seeing Him because when you see the risen Jesus - you cannot help but encounter the Love that carried Jesus to the Cross.

Giovanni Francesco di Bernardone was born in 1182 and grew up to become an avid sportsman, playing every sport of that day. He lived to satisfy every one of his desires. And because he was born into a wealthy family, he was able to accomplish it. Most know this man by his identity that came after he encounter the risen Savior (St. Francis of Assisi) If you have ever read his biography, you have been moved by this man—a man of aristocracy, a man of breeding, education and great wealth who renounced everything and lived the rest of his life in service to others. Do you know why he did that? Do you know what the incident that precipitated that was? Riding down the middle of a road on a great beautiful horse, he saw standing in the middle of the road in front of him a leper whose skin was white with leprosy, and he was drawn like a moth to the flame. He sat there on his horse and looked down at this leper; he got down, went over, and embraced the leper. He pulled the leper to himself, and then he took money from his bag and gave it to the leper and got back on his horse. As he started to ride away, he looked back and the leper wasn't there. He concluded that he had met the risen Christ. And he was never the same after that. Most have heard Francis of Assisi's beautiful prayer:

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.
Amen!!

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