Francis Strikes Gold

This guy knew how to put pen to paper. He hit the mother lode with the piece below, and it's worth a read. Maybe somebody could set it to music and we could make it a hit today. Do you think anyone would buy into it?

Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow pardon,
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.

Oh 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 pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Prodigal Greed

If wisdom and knowledge are your form of wealth, you may want to consider whether you have run off and squandered it in wild acquisition. Did you take all of your strength and effort to the marketplace of American dream capitalism, throw everything you had into making money, buying stuff, hoarding money and stuff, investing your wisdom, money, and stuff into getting and making more stuff? How is that working for you now?

Many of us have become caught up in the narrative that America stands for the opportunity to make a lot of money. Really? Maybe could it be that we stand for the proposition that all men are created equal and have the chance to excel at anything they set their minds to, and if they happen to make money at it, well so much the better. But making money may not be the proper target. Shift the focus a few degrees to optimal excellence, being the best that you can and hope to be, and at the same time encouraging others to do the same, and try that approach. All else will follow the lead of what is true and good. Including money and stuff, which you probably won't have time for, and will try to give away, because you'll be too busy working at being excellent.

It looks to me like a win-win-win proposition.