19930917 Prayer SJPII to Saint Francis

Image: Saint Francis Stigmatta, by ArtFriar

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Saint Francis, who received the stigmata in La Verna,

The world is nostalgic for you as an image of Jesus Crucified.

Your heart is needed to be open to God and man,

your bare and wounded feet,

and your pierced and pleading hands.

The world is nostalgic for your fragile voice, but strong with the force of the Gospel.

Francis, help men today to recognize the evil of sin

and to seek their purification in penance.

Help them also to free themselves from the structures of sin

that oppress today's society

Rekindles in the conscience of the rulers

the urgency of peace in nations and between peoples.

Inspire the young people with the freshness of your life,

capable of overcoming the snares of the multiple cultures of death.

To those who are victims of any type of evil, grant them, Francis,

your joy of knowing how to forgive.

To all those crucified by suffering, hunger and war,

Open the doors of hope to them again. Amen

St. John Paul II, Mount Alvernia, Italy. September 17, 1993