October 4: Saint Francis of Assisi

Yikes!
I was traveling all day and nearly let the day go by without remembering with you the man who is probably the most famous saint in Christendom: Francis of Assisi, beloved by Christians of every stripe, and many others besides. (In particular, his love for animals has endeared him to a great many people.)

May I refer you to pp. 273-4 of A Continual Feast for a discussion of his remarkable life--and for a recipe for the one and only food that he is known to have loved: Mostaccioli, which are delicious little almond cakes.

You might like to do some reading about this amazing man, and if so I recommend The Little Flowers of Saint Francis--full of anecdotes about his life and miracles, and quite fun to read!

And as you remember him--and that great Franciscan spirit--you can also say the beautiful prayer that is associated with him:

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.

You can also sing this prayer as the beautiful hymn: "Make me a channel of your peace." You can hear it sung at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI1Gst7pEqc&feature=related