A Prayer inspired by the Our Father

by St. Francis of Assisi

 

O Our Father most holy:

Our Creator, Redeemer, Consoler, and Saviour

 Who are in heaven:

In the angels and the saints,

enlightening them to know, for You, Lord, are light;

inflaming them to love, for You, Lord, are love;

dwelling in them and filling them with happiness,

for You, Lord, are Supreme Good, the Eternal Good,

from Whom all good comes

without Whom there is no good.

Holy be Your Name:

May knowledge of You become clearer in us

that we may know

the breadth of Your blessings,

the length of Your promises,

the height of Your majesty,

the depth of Your judgements.

Your kingdom come:

That You may rule in us through Your grace

and enable us to come to Your kingdom

where there is clear vision of You,

perfect love of You,

blessed companionship with You,

eternal enjoyment of You.

Your will be done on earth as in heaven:

That we may love You

with our whole heart by always thinking of You,

with our whole soul by always desiring You,

with our whole mind by always directing all our intentions to You,

and by seeking Your glory in everything

with all our whole strength

by exerting all our energies and affections of body and soul

in the service of Your love and of nothing else;

and we may love our neighbour as ourselves

by drawing them all to Your love with our whole strength,

by rejoicing in the good of others as in our own

by suffering with others at their misfortunes,

and by giving offence to no one.

Give us this day: 

in remembrance, understanding and reverence

of that love which our Lord Jesus Christ had for us

and of those things that He said and did and suffered for us.

Our daily bread:

Your own beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Forgive us our trespasses:

through Your ineffable mercy

through the power of the passion of Your beloved Son

and through the merits and intercession of the ever blessed Virgin

and all Your elect.

As we forgive those who trespass against us:

And what we do not completely forgive,

make us, Lord, forgive completely

that we may truly love our enemies because of You

and we may fervently intercede for them before You,

returning no one evil for evil

and we may strive to help everyone in You.

And lead us not into temptation:  

hidden or obvious,

sudden or persistent.

But deliver us from evil:

past, present and to come.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.

Amen.