Francis of Assisi from the 12th Century is remembered as one of the greatest saints. His life drew many thousands of people to Jesus Christ during his lifetime and countless millions since then. Many say that after the Apostles of Jesus he is the saint who became the most like Jesus.

Yet, we have just over thirty short writings of Francis. Perhaps his most famous writings that have been verified as his are “Canticle of Brother Sun” and “True and Perfect Joy.”

Mostly what we have from Francis are precious stories from his life. His actions spoke much louder than his words. Recall his teaching, “Preach always. When necessary use words.”

“St Francis’ Prayer Inspired By the Our Father” is one of his best writings, but it’s little known. It’s from his personal meditations on the Lord’s Prayer and is a wonderful resource to foster our own prayerful discipleship to Jesus and devotion to God.

St Francis’ Prayer Inspired By The Our Father*

O our most holy Father:
Our Creator, Redeemer, Consoler, and Savior,

You are in heaven:
And in the angels and saints,
Inflaming us to love, because You, Lord, are love,
And filling us with happiness as our Supreme and Eternal Good.

Glorious is your Your name:
May our knowledge of You become ever clearer
That we may know Your blessings and Your majesty.

Your Kingdom come:
Give us unclouded vision to let you rule in us through Your grace,
And so we enjoy a blessed companionship with You forever.

Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven:
That we may love You with our whole heart,
Desire You with our whole soul,
Always think of You with affection,
Spend all our energies in serving You,
And that we may love our neighbors with Your love.

Give us this day our daily Bread:
Which is our Beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

And forgive us our trespasses:
Through Your indescribable mercy to us in Christ,
Which we see in the faith and prayers of the blessed virgin Mary.

Help us to forgive those who trespass against us:
You, Lord, enable us to forgive to the full
So that we may truly love our enemies and intercede for them.

Lead us not into temptation:
Keep us from all sin, hidden or obvious.

Deliver us from evil:
Keep us from all that’s bad in the past, present, and to come.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, it is now, and will be forever. Amen.

* I have shortened and paraphrased “St Francis’ Prayer Inspired By the Our Father.”