The Peace Prayer

The Peace Prayer is a well-known prayer that inspires people to live with kindness and understanding. It asks for help to bring peace, love, and hope to others. Many Scouts and Scouters find this prayer helpful as they try to live the Scout Oath and Law. It encourages actions that reflect values like kindness, helpfulness, and respect.

Scouting programs help young people grow in character, citizenship, and service. The Peace Prayer fits well with these goals. It encourages Scouts to focus on giving, understanding, and forgiving. These are important skills for anyone who wants to make a difference in their family, community, and the world.

The Peace Prayer also connects with the Scout Law. The Scout Law includes words like kind, cheerful, and reverent. The prayer gives simple examples of how to live these values, such as spreading joy, light, and love. It challenges Scouts to think of others and take action to help.

Scouting is about learning by doing. The Peace Prayer is not just about words—it is about what we do. Scouts can use its message to guide their actions every day. By living the ideas in this prayer, they can make their communities better and live out the ideals of Scouting.

The Peace Prayer is often called the Prayer of St. Francis. However, its true origin is unclear. It was not written during St. Francis’s lifetime. The prayer first appeared in 1912 in a French spiritual magazine. It became popular because of its message of love and peace. Over time, people linked it to St. Francis of Assisi because he was known for promoting peace and helping others.

The Peace Prayer has been translated into many languages and is used around the world. It speaks to people of all faiths because its message is simple and universal. It does not focus on specific religious beliefs. Instead, it encourages kindness, forgiveness, and service to others.

A Good Fit for Many Faiths

The Peace Prayer works well for interfaith gatherings, like a Scouts Own service. Its focus on helping others and spreading peace can inspire people from many backgrounds. Because it avoids specific religious traditions, it can be meaningful for diverse groups. Scouts can use it to reflect on shared values like kindness and respect.

By including the Peace Prayer, leaders can bring people together. It is a reminder that small actions, like bringing hope or understanding, can make a big difference. This makes it a good choice for any setting that focuses on community and service.

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 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,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.

Printable copy of the Peace Prayer

More Prayers and Graces

If you are looking for more prayers to use in Scouting, visit my Prayers and Graces page. You will find a variety of prayers and blessings, including ones like the Peace Prayer, which encourage kindness, service, and understanding.

These can be used for Scouts Own services, meal blessings, or other gatherings. Explore the page to find the right words to inspire your Scouts and strengthen their connection to Scouting values.

The Scout Oath

What is the Peace Prayer?

The Peace Prayer is a short prayer that asks for help to bring peace, love, and hope to others. It is also called the Prayer of St. Francis. It encourages people to focus on kindness, forgiveness, and understanding.

Did St. Francis write the Peace Prayer?

No, St. Francis did not write the Peace Prayer. It was first published in a French magazine in 1912, long after his death. People connected it to him because it reflects the values he taught.

Why is the Peace Prayer used in Scouting?

The Peace Prayer matches the values of Scouting. It encourages kindness, helpfulness, and service, which align with the Scout Oath and Law. Scouts can use it to inspire their actions and reflect on how to help others.

Can the Peace Prayer be used at interfaith events?

Yes, it is a good choice for interfaith events because it focuses on universal values. It does not mention specific religious beliefs. This makes it appropriate for Scouts Own services.

The Peace Prayer is well-loved for its simple message of kindness and service. It asks for help to bring peace, hope, and love into the world. Instead of focusing on what we want for ourselves, it reminds us to think of others first. This message ties closely to Scouting values like kindness, helpfulness, and cheerfulness.

Though often called the Prayer of St. Francis, it wasn’t written by him. It first appeared in a French magazine in 1912. Over time, its words were linked to St. Francis because they reflect his teachings about peace and service.

The Peace Prayer’s universal message makes it fitting for many settings. Its focus on bringing light and joy speaks to people of all faiths. That’s why it works well at interfaith events, like Scouts Own services or as a meal blessing. It reminds us that we can make a difference through small acts of kindness.

Scouts can use the Peace Prayer to guide their actions. It encourages them to live out the Scout Law in their daily lives by being kind, helpful, and reverent. Whether said aloud or quietly reflected on, this prayer inspires service and understanding.