Prayer for the Day

by Revd Canon David White

3rd October 2026 - 18th Sunday after Trinity

Let every creature in heaven, on earth,
in the sea and in the depths,
give praise, glory, honour and blessing
to him who suffered so much for us,
who has given so many good things,
and who will continue to do so for the future.
For he is our power and strength,
he who alone is good, who is most high,
who is all powerful, admirable and glorious;
who alone is holy, praiseworthy, and blessed
throughout endless ages. Amen.

Today is the 800th anniversary of the death of St Francis of Assisi (1182-1226), who is one of the most well-known and popular of all the saints outside of the Bible. He can often be seen in paintings surrounded by birds and animals and he has become an idealized champion of ecological and environmental causes around the world. Historians recognize him as one of the most influential figures to rise out of the Middle Ages because of his personal concern for the poor and oppressed, his disarmingly simple approach to dealing with the Church and with civil authorities, and the thousands of followers who flocked to him and then carried his vision to the ends of the earth.

For today, I was going to use the prayer that is often said to have been written by St Francis and begins, ‘Make me a channel of your peace’. But that prayer was written in France in 1912 and not by Francis. This prayer is one that he did write. It is typical of his prayers and writings as it asks God to allow for all created things to praise him; refers to the suffering of Christ and ends with an acknowledgement of God’s power and glory. This is a good prayer for us too as our harvest festival services begin.