Be sure to get comfortable.
And if you've come from a rather busy environment,
Take a few moments just to breathe.
Take notice of your breath.
Inhaling deep.
Maybe exhale through the mouth at first.
And it even helps to maybe place your hands on your belly.
And as you breathe in,
See if you can fill the belly deep.
And then the exhale.
Use the belly to help push all the air out.
And then close your eyes.
You've closed your eyes as uncomfortable,
Maybe allow a sliver of light in your vision,
But keep the gaze about three feet in front of you.
So now let's hear these words from 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.
So sit with those words for a few moments,
Maybe a word or a phrase called to you.
Let's meditate on these words again,
Seeing if a phrase calls out again,
Or maybe a different phrase or word calls to you.
Keep an open mind.
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.
Whatever word or phrase call to you,
Just kind of repeat them for a few moments.
So let's hear these words for a third time.
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.
So we drink these words for a few moments and see if there is anything that we would like to say in response.
This might be a prayer or a petition.
This might be an asking of how we can respond.
How this prayer might reflect on something going on in our lives.
Spend a few moments engaging.
Yes.
Let's hear these words.
For a final time,
Using them as a jumping off point towards rest and silence.
So after I read them,
I'll give a few moments of silence to allow any response to come into your heart.
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.
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.
You can spend a few moments in this peace.
But see if you can hold on to this peace as you go about your day or evening.
Take care.
