Lord make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred let me sow in love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sorrow, joy.

Oh 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 its in giving that we receive.
And its in pardoning that we are pardoned.
And its in dying that we are born into eternal life.

Amen.

The power of the prayer of Saint Francis convicts me to move more swiftly into love, that I might relinquish the desire to seek myself rather then others.

I must forgive, the hardest of hurts and the deepest of hates. I must be in the business of reconcilation. I have no rights otherwise.

I am Scottish

Ok not quite, but apparently (i'm not sure if i've been on this rant before) the Presbytarian church is a Scottish Reform church (Reform is a Dutch Prebytarian church). So Chrisitanesely, I am Scottish.

And this really bugs me. How much of my Identity as a Christian is inadvertantly wrapped up in some far removed European socio-historical context? I am not denying the value and worth that comes with the rituals and symbolism of the liturgical churches but I am cautioning against the lack of an understanding of WHY. I am Chinese. I am Singaporean. I have no connection, whatsoever with Scottland (except perhaps for exboyfriend Seth).

I wonder, how many churches here have room to identify with the underground church in China. And I wonder how many churches in Singapore can identify themselves, at all.