Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace

The religious scholar and author of Neither Wolf nor Dog delves into the spirit of one of the most inspiring figures in history: St. Francis of Assisi. The Prayer of St. Francis boldly but gently challenges us to resist the forces of evil and negativity with the spirit of goodwill and generosity. In Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace, Kent Nerburn explores this timeless prayer, and—in his wonderfully personal and humble way—shows how we can live out its prescription for living in our less-than-saintly lives. Expanding upon each line of the St. Francis Prayer, Nerburn shares inspiring true stories and personal experiences that reveal how each of us can make a positive difference in ordinary ways. Struggling to help a young son comfort his best friend when his mother dies, moved by the courage of war enemies who reconcile, being wrenched out of self-absorbed depression by responding to someone else's tragedy, taking a spirited old lady on a farewell taxi ride through her town—these are the kinds of everyday moments in which Nerburn finds we can live out the spirit of St. Francis. As we open our hearts and embrace his words, St. Francis "touches our deepest humanity and ignites the spark of our divinity."