Feast of St. Francis of Assisi

 Pearls of Wisdom from St. Francis of Assisi

† Above all the grace and the gifts that Christ gives to his beloved is that of overcoming self.
† It is not fitting, when one is in God's service, to have a gloomy face or a chilling look.
† It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching.
† While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart.
† I have been all things unholy. If God can work through me, he can work through anyone.
† Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.

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;
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

(methinks there's a list of lots to work on there... that's for sure!)

I must add on a beautiful line which was sent to me about St. Francis....
[St. Francis prayed] "that his heart might be filled, as far as possible, with the same excessive love which induced our Lord to undergo His sufferings for man"

Love is severely lacking in this world... let's change that.  "Love one another as I (Christ) have loved you."