Erica Zowghi writes...

The Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi
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.

I’ve always liked this prayer, and I thought I’d share it, especially because I think it fits nicely with Lent. Although to most Lent means giving something up, most people don’t think of the gain. A couple years ago I gave up television for Lent. The first couple days I went through some withdrawal symptoms (mainly boredom), but then I increased my volunteer hours at the nursing home for people living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. I would paint the ladies’ nails, take the residents for walks, and play games with them. After Lent ended, I found myself bored with the television, and going over to the nursing home more often to converse with the residents. I never realized during Lent how much I liked their company. I learned that it truly is in giving that we receive.