Introduction

In order to live out his vocation to preach and to teach the world about our Crucified and Risen Lord, Saint Francis of Assisi spent much time in silent and solitary prayer. He preferred to retreat to hidden and isolated places, often unaccompanied, to grow closer to Christ Jesus both before and after traveling the known world to spread the Good News. We know little about the Poor Man’s private experiences with prayer; and he left only one instruction about how to pray: a commentary on the Lord’s Prayer. As the Catholic Church confronts another crisis and bleeds from many self-inflicted wounds, let us join Saint Francis of Assisi in praying as Christ taught us: in praise, petition, and thanksgiving for the Father’s blessings of friendship, love, and mercy. Let us also pray, with heart’s full of anguish and contrition, for all victims of abuse, harassment, and persecution.

A Prayer Inspired by the Lord’s Prayer
By Saint Francis of Assisi

Our Father Most Holy: Our Creator, Redeemer, Consoler, and Savior.

Who art in heaven: In the angels and in the saints, enlightening them to know that you, O Lord, are light, inflaming them to love; that you, O Lord are love, dwelling in them and filling them with happiness; that you, O Lord, are the Supreme Good, the Eternal Good, from whom all goodness comes and without whom there is no good.

Hallowed by thy Name: May our knowledge of You become more clear, so that we may know the breadth of your blessings, the length of your promises, the height of your majesty, and the depth of your holy judgments.

Thy Kingdom come: So that you may rule 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, and eternal joy and life with you.

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven: So that we may love you with our whole heart by always thinking about you; with our whole soul by desiring always only you; with our whole mind by always directing all of our intentions to you; and by seeking your glory in everything with our whole strength and by exerting all of our energies and affections in both body and soul and in service of your love and nothing else. And may we love our neighbors as ourselves by drawing them all to your love with our whole strength by rejoicing in the good of others, by suffering with others, and by giving offense to no one.

Give us this day: In remembrance, reverence, and understanding of that love which our Lord Jesus Christ had for us, and of those things that he said, those things he did, and those things he suffered for our sake.

Our daily bread: Your own Beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Forgive us our trespasses: Through your indescribable mercy, through the power of the Passion of your Beloved Son, and through the merits and intercessions of the ever-blessed Virgin Mary and all of your angels and saints in heaven.

As we forgive those who trespass against us: And what we do not completely forgive, help us to truly love our enemies because of you; inspire us to truly pray for them before you; returning no one evil for evil; and may we strive always to help everyone in your name.

And lead us not into temptation: Hidden or obvious, sudden or persistent.

But deliver us from evil: Past, present, and yet to come.

Glory to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Saint Francis of Assisi, pray for us! Saint Clare of Assisi, pray for us! All holy men and women of Assisi, pray for us! Our Lady of Angels, pray for us!

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About Us

Founded in 2007, the Assisi Project is a Fellowship of Franciscans in Spirit with members, friends, and followers in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Africa. We are dedicated to helping Christian believers of all ages to more faithfully live the Gospel of Christ in the spirit of Saints Francis and Clare. The Assisi Project is a non-profit, tax exempt charitable  organization. All are welcome to support our ministry through smile.amazon.com or by sending your donation to the Assisi Project, Post Office Box 3158, Gloucester, Massachusetts 01931-3158. For more information about the Assisi Project and our upcoming opportunities for faith formation, prayer, and pilgrimage in the Franciscan spiritual tradition, please contact Cliff Garvey at cgarvey@assisiproject.com. May the Lord give you peace!

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