For All Saints' Day- a meditation on the Lord's Prayer from St. Francis of Assisi:
Our Father.
Our Creator, Redeemer, Comforter and Savior.
Who art in
heaven.
You are with the angels and the saints, bathing them in your
light that they may be enlightened by your love, and dwelling within them that
they may be filled with your joy. You are the supreme good, the eternal good,
from whom comes all goodness, and with- out whom there is no goodness.
Hallowed be your
name.
May our knowledge of you become ever clearer, that we may
know the breadth of your blessings, the length of your promises, the height of
your majesty, and the depth of your judgments.
Your kingdom come.
Rule in our hearts with your grace, that we may become fit
subjects for your kingdom. We desire nothing more than to dwell in your
kingdom, where we can watch you on your throne, and enjoy your perfect love.
Your will be done, on
earth as it is in heaven.
May we love you with our whole heart by always thinking of
you, with our whole soul by always desiring you, with our whole mind by
directing all our intentions to you, and with our whole strength by spending
all our energies in your service. And may we love our neighbors as ourselves,
drawing them to your love, rejoicing in their good fortunes, and caring for
them in their misfortunes.
Give us this day our
daily bread.
In memory and understanding and reverence of the love which
our Lord Jesus Christ has for us, revealed by his sacrifice for us on the
cross, we ask for the perfect bread of his body.
And forgive us our trespasses.
We know that you
forgive us, through the suffering and death of your beloved Son.
As we forgive those
who trespass against us.
Enable us to forgive perfectly and without reserve any wrong
that has been committed against us. And strengthen our hearts truly to love our
enemies, praying for them and striving to serve them.
And lead us not into
temptation.
Save us not only from obvious and persistent temptations,
but also those that are hidden or come suddenly when our guard is lowered.
But deliver us from
evil.
Protect us from past evil, protect us against present evil,
and free us from future evil.
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