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;
and 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.
I love this prayer from St Francis, it’s simplicity and hope filled message. It also reminds me of an ill fated first ‘Blessing of the Animals’ that we staged at Tatachilla many years ago, looking to bring to life the connection and importance of animals in our lives, and to honour one of the key messages that St Francis shared in his ministry. Suffice to say, kids brought all sorts of animals along, some of which were more suited to a farm than a household, and we spent most of the service chasing dogs who wanted to round up sheep, horses who were spooked by pet snakes and just general mayhem!
So how does this relate to the here and now? My observation is that as a society we have become so consumed by our own agendas and voices that we fail to listen out for others, and to actively seek to understand rather than having all the answers prepared beforehand. As an Office, we are undergoing some critical reflection about how we serve our learning communities and have the opportunity to listen deeply to the needs of schools and ECS’s, and respond accordingly. This takes courage, and I am indebted to the LEVNT staff for opening themselves up to this process, which I can see will only strengthen our service delivery and culture.
I pray that all staff, parents and Boards in our sites of learning are encouraged by the simple Prayer of St Francis, and that together we can create an environment where all our young people are Free to Flourish.
Blessings,
Colin Minke
Executive Director
colin.minke@levnt.edu.au
