Re: REF: Author of quote (prayer)

["Kevin J. Galbraith Sr." <keving@SCNC.PCS.K12.MI.US>]

>Date:    Thu, 6 Nov 1997 14:34:40 -0500
>Subject: REF: Author of quote (prayer)
>
>Can anyone tell me the author of the following;
>
>"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage
>to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference."
>
>Was the author Francis of Assisi? TIA
>
>--
>Mary Stewart Lewis, Director of Library Media Services
>The Benjamin School
>11000 Ellison Wilson Rd., North Palm Beach, Fl. 33408
>marystewart_lewis@benjaminschool.com
--

Mary,

No the "Serinity Prayer" wasn't authored by St. Francis of Assisi, but
rather Reinhold Neibuhr (1892-1971).  However, this misconception is very
common.

=46YI, here is the complete prayer:

GOD, grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change Courage to
change the things I can and the Wisdom to know the difference.

Living ONE DAY AT A TIME; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardship
as the pathway to peace.

Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it.

Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;

That I may be reasonably happy in this life, and supremely happy with Him
forever in the next.

Amen

St. Francis of Assisi is attributed with this prayer to do God's will,
which has the same intention, but with a "Do onto others..." tone:

Lord, make me an instrument of Your 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 seek not so much
 to be consoled as to console;
 to be understood as to understand;
 to be loved as to love;

=46or it is in giving that we receive;
 it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
 and it is  in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.



Kevin J. Galbraith, Sr.               | "Books will soon be obsolete in the
Elementary Library Media Coordinator  *  schools...Our school system will
Pinckney Community Schools, MI, USA   |  be completely changed in the next
http://www.pcs.k12.mi.us              *  ten years" - Thomas Edison, 1913,
Director, MACUL Board of Directors    |  speaking about motion pictures.
http://www.macul.org                =DDJMJ=DD

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