Prayer for Understanding

Dear God,

You are the knowing we hope for
and the wisdom we seek.
From a spirit of prayer and devotion
we seek to know you as you know
and be wise as you are wise,
so we can know and love you
and all your children
and all your creation better.

Help us learn from your prophets
who speak the truth
and your saints
who do the truth in love,
especially Francis of Assisi
and all who walk as he did
in the footsteps of Jesus.

As you open our lips to speak your praise,
open our ears so we may hear your truth
and open our eyes to see your truth
alive in your holy people today.

Now, inspire our study of Francis
and his religious movement;
help us learn from him and from each other;
and let us go forth from here
to imitate Jesus
as perfectly as he did.

We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ
who called you Father
and through the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete,
who teaches us all things. Amen.