Cover of Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace: Living in the Spirit of the Prayer of St. Francis

Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace: Living in the Spirit of the Prayer of St. Francis

Kent Nerburn's Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace, immerses us in the spirit of one of the most universally inspiring figures in history: St. Francis of Assisi. The Prayer of St. Francis boldly but gently challenges us to resist the forces of evil and negativity with the spirit of goodwill and generosity. And Nerburn shows, in his wonderfully personal and humble way, how we each can live out the prayer's prescription for living in our everyday and less-than-saintly lives. "Where there is hatred, let me sow love...Where there is injury, let me sow pardon..." Expanding upon each line of the St. Francis Prayer, Nerburn shares touching, inspiring stories from his own experience and that of others and reveals how each of us can make a difference for good in ordinary ways without being heroes or saints. Struggling to help a young son comfort his best friend when his mother dies, moved by the courage of war enemies who reconcile, being wrenched out of self-absorbed depression by responding to someone else's tragedy, taking a spirited old lady on a farewell taxi ride through her town-these are the kinds of everyday moments in which Nerburn finds we can live out the spirit of St. Francis.

Read more

By incorporating the power and grace of these few lines of practical idealism into our thoughts and deeds, we can begin to ease our own suffering-and the suffering of those with whom we share our lives. And, remarkably, find a way to true peace and happiness by tapping into our basic human goodness. As we open our hearts and embrace his words, St. Francis "touches our deepest humanity and ignites the spark of our divinity."

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.Where there is hatred let me sow love, Where there is injury let me sow pardon, Where there is doubt, faith, Where there is despair, hope, Where there is darkness, light, And where there is sadness, joy...

In this beautifully written book, Kent Nerburn leads us into the heart of the St. Francis Prayer and line by line demonstrates how St. Francis's words can resonate in our lives today.

Audience
adult
Length
short · 144 pages

Click a tag to see books like this one that share it.

Read it? Sign in to help tag it.

Liked Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace: Living in the Spirit of the Prayer of St. Francis? Here’s where I’d start.

These suit anyone who liked Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace: Living in the Spirit of the Prayer of St. Francis. Sign in and mark a few books for picks shaped around your own taste.

  1. Fresh Bread: And Other Gifts of Spiritual Nourishment Shares spirituality, religion, nonfiction
  2. The Art Of Biblical Poetry Shares religion, nonfiction
  3. It's a Meaningful Life Shares spirituality, religion, nonfiction
  4. Darsan: Seeing the Divine Image in India Shares religion, spirituality, nonfiction

“People who read Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace: Living in the Spirit of the Prayer of St. Francis tend to reach for these next.”

  1. The Lessons of Saint Francis: How to Bring Simplicity and Spirituality into Your Daily Life
  2. When God Is Silent
  3. The Living Reminder: Service and Prayer in Memory of Jesus Christ
  4. The Book of Common Prayer

“If you want more of the same, start with these.”

  1. A Lever and a Place to Stand: The Contemplative Stance, the Active Prayer
  2. Druid Priestess: An Intimate Journey Through the Pagan Year
  3. Welcome to the Wisdom of the World and Its Meaning for You: Universal Spiritual Insights Distilled from Five Religious Traditions
  4. Living Druidry

“If it was the spirituality that hooked you, try one of these.”

  1. Joan Chittister: Her Journey from Certainty to Faith
  2. The Hidden Gospel: Decoding the Spiritual Message of the Aramaic Jesus
  3. Shalom Sistas: Living Wholeheartedly in a Brokenhearted World
  4. Tipping Sacred Cows: The Uplifting Story of Spilt Milk and Finding Your Own Spiritual Path in a Hectic World

“These start from a similar idea, even if they go somewhere else with it.”

  1. The Road to Damietta
  2. Every Day I Pray: Prayers for Awakening to the Grace of Inner Communion
  3. Growing in Prayer: A Real-Life Guide to Talking with God
  4. Praying Like Jesus: The Lord's Prayer in a Culture of Prosperity