Photo from a window in the Founder’s Chapel at Graymoor in Garrison, NY (Franciscan Friars of the Atonement)

It’s May! A good time to post this photo of a beautiful depiction of the Madonna and Child. I took this photo almost two years ago, but only got around to processing it now… It brings back good memories. I used to go to one of the members of this community for spiritual direction while I lived in Newburgh.

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 with all my soul.

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

I believe that my parents, truly tried to live life like this prayer. Come to think of it, I’m pretty sure that we had a statue of St. Francis in the back yard, and my parents always enjoyed visiting Graymoor, the home of the Franciscan Sisters and Friars of the Atonement. I remember my sweet Mama always giving me advice and consoling me with phrases like: “’tis better to give than to receive”, “just imagine what must be so wrong in that person’s life to make them act that way. you should feel bad for them”, “if someone asks you to borrow a quarter and you have one to give, you should, and ask them not to pay you back, but to pass it on to the next person who needs it”.

I’m sure that at the time that these words of wisdom were shared with me, my reaction probably included eye rolling and a sigh of “ohhhh mom”. But how blessed am I to have been taught such lessons? Lessons that would come to comfort me at times when I need it most, and to have been raised by parents who truly wanted peace, for everyone.

I know I’ve written before about a desire to connect with and find my faith, my own spiritual path. While my parents were devout Catholics, I have struggled to connect with the Church as of late. I think one thing that I have discovered is, that in my soul, I am drawn to live a life committed to finding and sharing a pathway to peace; much like the ways of St. Francis and my beautiful, loving parents.

Related articles

• A Prayer of Service and Reminder to Praise Him (danielnm.wordpress.com)
• Tomb of St. Francis back in the pink (cbc.ca)
• It just takes a measure of faith (barefootpreachr.org)

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(John 17:20-21 RSVCE)

This year marks the 100th Anniversary of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. It begins each year on January 18th which was, at the time, the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter. The Feast itself has since been moved to February 22nd.

The fact that the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity began on what was a celebration of the authority of St. Peter and of the Papacy is significant. The founders of the Week of Prayer, the Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement and the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, entered full communion with the Roman Catholic Church one year later, in 1909.

For the Unity of Christians

Let us pray
for all our brother and sisters
who share our faith in Jesus Christ,
that God may gather and keep together in one Church
all those who seek the truth with sincerity.

Almighty and eternal God,
you keep together all those who you have united.
Look kindly on all who follow Jesus your Son.
We are all consecrated to you by our common baptism.
Make us one in the fullness of faith,
and keep us one in the fellowship of love.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

General Intercessions, Good Friday, 1970 Roman Missal (Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite)