DESCRIPTION:
This is a contemporary rendering of St Francis of Asisi's prayer, "Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace". I noticed they took out the "Your" part in this new title and new arrangement. The "Your" refers to the divine "Your". There is peace; and then there is the "Peace that surpasses all understanding" offered by God. Which peace are you after?

I love the way they re-stated the parts of St Francis' prayer in contemporary language. The meaning suddenly became "new" and "alive" for me--making it more meaningful than ever. My favourite verse is this: "With these Words I speak, grant that I may seek-- not to be seen...but to see!"

Lyrics: Instrument of Peace (Canadian Tenors)

Where there is hatred
Let me bring love
Where there is doubt
Let me bring faith

Where there is falsehood
Let me bring truth
Where there is pain
I'll comfort you

Where there is silence
Let me sing praise
Where there's despair
Let me bring hope

Where there is blindness
Let me bring sight
Where there is darkness
Let me bring light

And with these words I speak
Grant that I may not seek
To be heard but to hear
To be consoled but to console
*Not to be seen but to see*
To be loved but to love

For when we give love
We will receive
When we forgive love
We'll find reprieve

It is in dying
We'll be released
Make me an instrument of peace


The Original English version of the prayer reads as follows:

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.
Amen.


Perhaps the original publication of the prayer was submitted anonymously to the French publication La Clochette in 1912.

Seigneur, faites de moi un instrument de Votre paix.
Là où il y a de la haine, que je mette l'amour.
Là où il y a l'offense, que je mette le pardon.
Là où il y a la discorde, que je mette l'union.
Là où il y a l'erreur, que je mette la vérité.
Là où il y a le doute, que je mette la foi.
Là où il y a le désespoir, que je mette l'espérance.
Là où il y a les ténèbres, que je mette votre lumière.
Là où il y a la tristesse, que je mette la joie.
Ô Maître, que je ne cherche pas tant à être consolé qu'à consoler,
à être compris qu'à comprendre,
à être aimé qu'à aimer,
car c'est en donnant qu'on reçoit,
c'est en s'oubliant qu'on trouve, c'est en pardonnant qu'on est pardonné,
c'est en mourant qu'on ressuscite à l'éternelle vie.