When I woke up this morning only to read my newsfeed of the continued unrest, destruction and disruption that continues to sweep the nation, a wave of sadness hit me.

I was about to post the short words of encouragement that I originally wrote for this series. In re-reading them, I realized that while they are good, they are perhaps a bit “tone-deaf” to the current reality.

As I was watering the plants, the only thing that came to mind was to pray for peace. I can’t do much. I can speak out against horrid injustices. I can attempt to tell angry mobs to just chill. I can give a cup of cold water out in Jesus’ name. But what I can do more in my present reality is to simply pray. The historic and transformative “Peace Prayer” of Saint Francis immediately came to mind.

Peace Prayer of Saint 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.

I encourage you not to just race through this, but to sit with these words, perhaps more than five minutes but for the remainder of this day, week and month.

We will continue to “Fight for Good” and be ambassadors of peace and grace in a world that needs God’s presence now more than ever.

Please pass this along to your friends and family. Post to your social network feeds. But mostly pray and take the words to this prayer to heart.

God bless you all today.

Additional Resource

Peace Prayer by John Michael Talbot