The Prayer of St. Francis sometimes seems like a pretty tall order! Bringing hope, light, pardon, understanding and compassion to the world is a lot to put on my to-do list!
It seems as extreme as "Tikkun olam," the Jewish phrase meaning to "repair the world." Maybe it's a blueprint for tikkum olam.
Francis, though, speaks of "sowing" love, pardon, and the rest. Wisely, he infers our work is to begin love where we don't find it, to introduce pardon where we don't see it. We walk about planting; we may not be there to see the harvest. It is like the old man who plants an apple tree for the generations to come, knowing he may never taste the fruit personally.
It also relieves us of the ego attachment to results. Sowing is an act of optimism, of trust in the universe to provide what the seed needs to grow. The act of sowing is in itself an expression of hope.
What could be simpler than sowing a seed? Maybe tikkum olam is not so far-fetched after all.
Blessings,
David
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