A Prayer for Peace on All Hallows Eve

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A Prayer for Peace on All Hallows’ Eve: Meditating on the Prayer of Saint Francis

As All Hallows’ Eve arrives, bringing with it costumes, laughter, and the familiar excitement of Halloween, we might also take a quiet moment to reflect on the kind of presence we wish to bring into the world around us. The evening offers an opportunity to think beyond its festivities and remember the simple but profound ways in which we can make a difference in the lives of others. For those who follow the Franciscan way, this can begin with a familiar prayer: Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Often known as the Peace Prayer of Saint Francis, these words express an ideal deeply rooted in his spirituality: that love should be offered where there is hatred, forgiveness where there is injury, hope where there is despair, and light where there is darkness. Although the prayer is traditionally associated with Saint Francis, its authorship is not historically established. Nevertheless, its message beautifully reflects the Gospel spirit that shaped his life. It reminds us that peace is not simply something we wish for or ask others to create; it is something we are called to practice through our words, our actions, and the way we treat those we encounter. Continue reading after advertisement

Preghiera Semplice (Simple Prayer/Peace Prayer of St. Francis), from Assisi, Italy

Perhaps this is a lovely prayer to carry with us on Halloween, especially as families and children gather in our neighborhoods. We can pray for their safety and happiness, for the kindness of neighbors and strangers, and for all those who may be experiencing loneliness or sadness. We can ask for the grace to become, in our own small ways, bearers of comfort, generosity, and joy. As the evening gives way to the solemnity and celebration of All Saints’ Day, let us remember that holiness is also expressed through ordinary acts of goodness. May we enter these days with hearts ready to sow peace, wherever it is needed. Continue reading after advertisement

Simple Prayer/Peace Prayer before the altar at the Portiuncula Chapel, in Assisi, Italy

The Simple Prayer — The Prayer of Saint 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;

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.

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