in our next saint study.While at the library the other day, she spotted St. Francis and the Christmas Donkey
, by Robert Byrd. She hugged the book and then asked if we could find any others about St. Francis.So, I picked up Tomie de Paola's Francis: The Poor Man of Assisi
and, we also stumbled onto a true gem, St. Francis of Assisi: A Life of Joy, by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., gorgeously illustrated by Dennis Nolan.
This book includes a print for framing, is a lovely biography and introduces the child to the prayer of St. Francis, which captured Ramona's heart. She asked me to write it down and give everyone a copy so that we could all pray it together at bedtime (she's been paying attention to some of my methods!)
I'm not sure how far we'll take this St. Francis side-trip, but for now, I'm feeling gratified and very happy that little Ramona is becoming an integral part of our homeschool.
Prayer of St. Francis:
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
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,
It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
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
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,
It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
7 comments:
The RFKjr St. Francis book is one of our very favorites, just beautiful -- and my young ones requested that very prayer last night. :-)
Ramona is a girl after my eldest son's heart. He loves St. Francis and has been begging me to check more St. Francis books out from our library.
I don't have the last one, but have been eyeing it for two years. I am scared of any books written by a politician - is it written faithfully? If you like it, I'm sure I will as well. :)
I don't know about you, but for me it's a real thrill to stumble across such lovely books at the library. They are, sadly, few and far between.
Yes, scmom, they are too few and far between at our library! When we find them, we check them out repeatedly in order to convince our library that they're worth having. :-)
Beth and Christine ... it sounds like there's much in common in our households!
Jennifer, yes, it's very faithful, very beautiful. One caveat: If your little one would be shocked by a literal portrayal of St. Francis giving everything back to his father, including *all* his clothes (a view from the back only) be forewarned. :-) Ramona didn't bat an eye at her innocent age, and it honestly didn't bother me in that context at all. But, moms should know, as people do differ in their opinion on such things. Does your library have it? You could preview that way.
We are huge St. Francis fans here!! My Matthias (8) was almost born on his feast, but hit St. Bruno instead (the 6th of Oct). Three days before his birth, I couldn't get "Make me a channel of your peace..." out of my head. Pretty sure St. Francis was rooting for his day too!! Matthias has always had a special place for him and is an animal lover through and through, they clamor to him!! Great list, I'll have to check out the Kennedy one, it's new??
Blesssings!
I read a new book recently entitled Brother Juniper by Diane Gibfried. The illustrations are darling and it offers a different aspect of Francis. There is a page where Brother Juniper sheds his clothes as well ;) I really enjoyed it. Ramona might like it as well.
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