Prayer of St Francis: Lord, Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace
The beloved peace prayer with a personal commitment to live it
Morning Prayer editorial team · Updated: November 2026
Though written in the early twentieth century, this prayer captures the spirit of Saint Francis of Assisi so well that it bears his name. Pray it, then ask for the grace to live one line of it today.
Let us pray
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.
Lord, these words are beautiful and they are hard. I want to be an instrument of Your peace, but I also want to be right, to be comfortable, to be thanked. Change what I want.
Show me one place today where I can sow love instead of hatred: perhaps a conversation I have been avoiding, or a person I have written off. Show me one injury I can pardon instead of nursing. Show me one person who needs understanding more than I need to be understood.
Saint Francis, you kissed the leper and embraced poverty and called the sun your brother. Pray for me, that I might hold my possessions, my opinions, and my grudges a little more loosely, and hold Christ a little more tightly. Make me, like you, a small instrument of a very great peace. Amen.
Blessing
May the Lord make you an instrument of His peace wherever you go today.
How to pray this prayer
- Find a quiet moment and breathe slowly.
- Read the prayer aloud or in your heart.
- Add your own intention before the Amen.
Frequently asked questions
Did Saint Francis actually write this prayer?
No. It first appeared anonymously in a French magazine in 1912 and was later associated with Saint Francis because it reflects his spirit. It remains one of the most loved Christian prayers.
How can I use the Prayer of Saint Francis in daily life?
Pick one line each morning and try to live it that day. For example, where there is injury, pardon. The prayer is meant to be practiced, not only recited.
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