Living Easter

The ethereal Sarah McLachlan took the Prayer of St Francis of Assisi and turned it into an amazing song of reflection and hope. This is the prayer:

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

It is a prayer that I think is a fitting meditation for the time of Easter. The death, burial and ressurection of Jesus is the cornerstone of our faith and its reality in our lives has enormous repercussions. St Francis describes a life that reflects the image of Jesus we find in the Scriptures and is an encouragement to continue to follow Him as He asked us to do.

One practical thing you can do at Easter time to be an instrument of peace is to think about the chocolate you are buying for your friends and family. This may seem a little left of centre as Easter is often portrayed for Christians as a time to think of Jesus' sacrifice and it's importance in our lives. This is true but these reflections are almost useless if they aren't transformed into the outpouring of love and hope that Jesus showed in His resurrection.

A simple choice regarding what chocolate you buy really does have a massive impact. Watch the video below to hear about the benefits of fair trading in Ghana.



You can buy Fair Trade Certified Chocolate in most supermarkets now and Oxfam have a great selection of festive chocolate delights. Your decision has a person at the end of it, so it's kind of a big deal. Plus, fair trade chocolate tastes way better, with none of that nasty guilt!



ALSO!
A cool art video: