Let me begin today's reflection with a request. A close friend, Shirley, is dying of cancer. Mother of two adult children, grandmother of a 4 year old grandson who loves MaMa so much, Shirley and her husband, Tim, were told yesterday that she has two weeks, not more than two months, to live. The cancer that had been under control for the last two years suddenly exploded. The unrelenting enemy had spread throughout her body. Would you please add her to your list of prayers as well as Tim and their children? Thank you. Now to our brother, Francis.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace!
Today's world is fighting wars in more than one place. Throughout this land, the annual off-year political elections have instigated wars of words that belittle humankind. From battlefield, to campaign ads, to family dining rooms peace has been driven away.
Francis' prayer also says "(Lord) where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon." This petition is a challenge to those who profess a Christian faith. We hear often the sentence "What would Jesus do?" Well we might add "... if he were here among us today."
This is the challenge to us ... to be his spokesperson today. Ours is the challenge to be that instrument of peace where we can change hardened hearts to understanding, to pardon. There is just to much bitterness and genuine hatred amongst us.
Let Francis be your guide so that you can bring light where there is darkness, joy where there is sadness, love where there isn't. Remember the final part of Francis' prayer: "it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in dying that we are born to Eternal life."
