Francis kindled his desire for God by constantly striving to overcome obstacles in his life that prevented him from relationship with God. Think of your own desires and the obstacles in your life that hinder a deep relationship of God for you. The following prayer of Francis may guide you in your meditation:
Almighty, eternal, just and merciful God,
Give us miserable ones the grace to do for You alone what we know you want
us to do and always to desire what pleases You.
Inwardly cleansed, interiorly enlightened and inflamed by the fire of
the Holy Spirit, may we be able to follow in the footprints
of Your beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and, by Your
grace alone, may we make our way to You, Most High.
Amen. (“A Letter to the Entire Order”)
—from the book Franciscan Prayer: Awakening to Oneness with God
by Ilia Delio, OSF
