It is shortly after 4am, and the alarm just blared waking me from my slumber on this Resurrection Day. As I laid in bed for a few minutes, praying and mentally preparing for this day, a song popped into my head. No, it wasn’t the trumpeted “Up From the Grave He Arose” (or “Up From the Bed She Arose”!). It was “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace,” Sebastian Temple’s musical adaptation of the Prayer of St. Francis. One might wonder why this particular song came into my head today – but it was the contrast of the phrase “where there is darkness, only light” that brought it to mind on this Easter morning. Today we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus the Christ – God’s light overcoming darkness, God’s hope overcoming despair, God’s forgiveness overcoming wrong.

I don’t want to infringe on copyright laws so I won’t share the lyrics of “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace” on this site. However, here is the Prayer of St. Francis from which it originated …

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy 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;

and 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.

As we go forth proclaiming and celebrating the resurrection today, may it be done with this prayer in mind. OK, better roll here – the pastor best not be late for Sunrise service! J Happy Easter!