In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Poor and humble Saint Francis, through your kind intercession we seek to love God above all things. We seek the faith, hope and love that moved you to joyfully renounce honors and riches and to radically follow our Lord Jesus Christ. Pray for us that we come to see the privilege of suffering with and for the poor after the example of Jesus. Help us to be always grateful for all the blessings we have received and give us the strength to overcome our most pressing concerns. (Include your personal intentions now.) Glorious St. Francis, you acted as a peacemaker even in the face of extreme physical danger. Through your prayers, may we also be graced with the desire to find peaceful resolutions to the problems that plague us, even in the most trying of times. As an offering to our Loving God, I resolve to forgive all the wrongs I have suffered from others. St. Francis, help us to continue praying for the grace to truly repent and change our hearts by actively seeking reconciliation with God and all those we have offended or hurt in any way. May the blessings we receive through your intercession deepen our faith, and inspire us to store up treasures in Heaven, where we hope to spend eternity with our loving God. 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 St. Francis of Assisi, Pray for us! In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Reflection: Francis had to grow in holiness. He had a great fear and loathing of lepers. He would ride away quickly so as not to speak to them. One day he asked himself, “Is this what Jesus would do?” And inspired by the answer he knew in his heart to be true, he began to care for those less fortunate and trusted in God to care for him in return. Can I change my response to the “lepers” in my life? Will I find the face of Christ?

Action: Today, consider how, with God’s help, you can change your attitude.