—Francis of Assisi
Thanksgiving
Almighty, most holy, most high and supreme God, holy and just Father, Lord, king of heaven and earth, for Thyself we give thanks to Thee because by Thy holy will, and by Thine only Son, Thou hast created all things spiritual and corporal in the Holy Ghost and didst place us made to Thine image and likeness in paradise, whence we fell by our own fault. And we give Thee thanks because, as by Thy Son Thou didst create us, so by the true and holy love with which Thou hast loved us, Thou didst cause Him, true God and true man, to be born.... And we give thanks to Thee because Thy Son Himself is to come again in the glory of His Majesty ... to say to all who have known Thee and adored Thee, and served Thee in repentance: “Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world.” And since all we wretches and sinners are not worthy to name Thee, we humbly beseech Thee, that our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy beloved Son, in whom Thou art well pleased, together with the Holy Ghost, the Paraclete, may give thanks to Thee as it is pleasing to Thee and Them, for all. Amen.
—Francis of Assisi
Praise and Guidance
Almighty, most holy, most high, and supreme God, highest good, all good, wholly good, who alone art good, to Thee we render all praise, all glory, all thanks, all honor, all blessing, and we shall always refer all good to Thee.
Almighty, eternal, just, and merciful God, give to us wretches to do for Thee what we know Thee to will and to will always that which is pleasing to Thee; so that inwardly purified, inwardly illumined and kindled by the flame of the Holy Ghost, we may be able to follow in the footsteps of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and by Thy grace alone come to Thee the Most High, who in perfect Trinity and simple unity livest and reignest and gloriest God Almighty for ever and ever. Amen.
—Francis of Assisi
For the Brothers
Lord Jesus, Thou didst choose Thine apostles to the number of twelve, and if one of them did betray Thee, the others, remaining united to Thee, preached Thy holy Gospel, filled with one and the same inspiration; and behold now, remembering the former days, Thou hast raised up the Religion of the Brothers in order to uphold faith, and that by them the mystery of Thy Gospel may be accomplished. Who will take their place if, instead of fulfilling their mission and being shining examples for all, they are seen to give themselves up to the works of darkness? Amen.