The Peace Prayer of St Francis

The Peace Prayer of St Francis is an elegant poem asking for God’s help in achieving peace in a troubled world.

The St Francis Peace Prayer begins, Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. We should all seek to promote peace and love in all that we do.

Here is the prayer in its entirety:

Peace Prayer of St Francis

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.

In Hymn Version

This popular prayer for peace also comes in the form of a hymn that can be sung with your congregation, or just sung as a song in a small group.

St Francis Hymn

Make me a channel of your peace,
Where there is hatred let me bring your love,
Where there is injury your pardon Lord,
And where there’s doubt true faith in you.

Make me a channel of your peace,
Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope,
Where there is darkness, only light,
And where there’s sadness, ever joy.

O Master grant that I may never seek,
So much to be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
In giving to all men that we receive
And in dying that we are born to eternal life.

History

It’s not exactly clear when this prayer was written.
The prayer was first discovered in a small French magazine called “The Little Bell”.

It gained popularity in the United States during World War 2
when it was distributed to soldiers and civilians by the millions on little prayer cards.

Prayers for peace are needed at all times. Whether you’re fighting on the battlefield,
or fighting with your personal demons, we can all find some peace with this prayer.

Bible Verses about Peace

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

[John 16:33]

Check out what the bible has to say about peace with this collection of Bible Verses about Peace

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