In this time of turmoil let us pray.. I believe that right now this might be the greatest crisis that we have faced as a nation. Fear appears to have overcome this whole world and it is a time for prayer. Early in my life I discovered this Prayer of St. Francis and only recently have I realized that the prayer itself is a menu of ways that we might individually serve as an instrument of the Lord’s Peace. Examine the words of this prayer yourself and see if one particular mission might call out to you.
Oh Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace. (We are all seeking to become instruments of the Lord’s peace to serve others.)
Where there is hatred let me sow love (This is your first opportunity. God knows, there is plenty of hatred around to work on.)
Where there is injury’ pardon Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness,light. (Personally that darkness has called out to me since I took a Christopher Leadershlip Course in 1957. I began by writing children’s books on positive living, programs for teachers and a book for parents and then I did hundreds of presentations at schools speaking for students from kindergarten through 12th grades and in classrooms at Notre Dame and St. Mary’s College. I spoke for school principals, and counselors and my passion for CUT Down.
and where there is sadness, joy. (When Father Catoir visited the Pope in Rome, the Pope suggested that he dedicated his life to that mission and Father has written best selling books and dedicated his life to that mission reaching many millions with his message.)
Oh 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
What better time to make your own journey to discover the power of this prayer. Right now when so many people all around you are in dire need of a kind word of comfort and hope?
In the year 2000 I was inspired to write my own version of a song of this prayer. I tilted it An Instrument of Thy Peace. I took my work to a dear friend, the late Greg Brayton, who had recorded many of my songs. We’ve never released our songs for distribution before but I felt that perhaps it was time I shared it with others.
An MP3 of this song is attached together with the lyric sheet. We encourage you to sing along each morning as you set out to make your own journey in helping others as you might be called to do during this time of challenge. Remember, FEAR is generally False Evidence Appearing Real. I hope this prayer will bring joy into your life and into the lives you touch.
Art you are always spot on.
Keep up the good work.
Art
How beautiful! And what a wonderful day to share this.
Warmest Wishes
Janet
Art, thank you for your inspirational words, and your music. In these times when we can feel disconnected with each other, it is so good to read your Monday Memo and be reminded that we are still connected spiritually in spite of being separated physically. My best to you and Jean
Good one, Art!
My brother is flying back from Ireland into Chicago on Air Lingus today which is a bit of a mad house with the enhanced checking for the virus creating shoulder to shoulder crowds for hours.
Told him by email as a sovereign being in a free will universe to consider accepting prayers in right action for him from everyone thinking about him today.
My brother’s response was that he likes to do Tonglen practice or “loving kindness” in crowds anyway. He was trained by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross herself to be a hospice nurse after getting his RN. After starting a hospice house in our hometown he now works at the VA in that area in their hospice section.
Lets send up, over and around some prayers for everyone flying back home and for the world crisis of fear right now. We’ve had lots of pandemics which clearly our relatives survived (we are here) but this worldwide fear is sort of rare and new for this generation.
By the way, in 1918 they found by accident that people outside in the sun recovered from that flu more then those inside. The had set up tents outside the hospitals for the overflow and it was remarkable how many lived in the tents vs. inside in the hospital.
Was it the sun or the breeze, nobody knows to this day? Maybe grab a little sunshine on your skin to produce Vitamin D naturally before you put on the sunscreen to help your immune system.