Make Me An Instrument Of Your Peace

Tineke rose photo © Glenn Franco Simmons.

“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and 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.” 

“The Prayer of St. Francis, often attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, was likely not written by him,” according to Grok {Grok (xAI). (2025). Personal communication.}. While it reflects his spirit of peace and selflessness, the prayer first appeared in 1912 in a French magazine called ‘La Clochette.’ It was published anonymously and later became associated with St. Francis during World War I, when it was widely distributed. Its true author remains unknown, but it’s commonly called the ‘Peace Prayer of St. Francis’ due to its alignment with his teachings. 

“The Prayer of St. Francis is in the public domain. Since it predates 1923 and no copyright was ever claimed, it falls under public domain in the United States and most other jurisdictions. You can freely use, reproduce, or adapt it without permission.”