It's ma birthday, it's ma birthday

Yeah, that's right. It's my birthday. And I'm pleased to note that the entire Jewish community of New York City has decided to take the day off to commemorate the occasion. I didn't know you cared!

L'shanah tovah to you too!

Not to mention today is the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. Like the Buddha, Francis was noble-born and made a name for himself as a young dilettante, then renounced his frivolous ways and the trappings of wealth in favor of serving the poor. I've always felt a special affinity for St. Francis, despite my own renunciation of Catholicism (capital "C") in favor of trying a more catholic (small "c") approach to life. Through his example, St. Francis reminds us that we are called to bring about justice and peace in the world, to end violence and war, poverty and oppression and to protect our fragile planet.

In my lazy Catholic upbringing, the Prayer of St. Francis always resounded with me as being one of the most universal. And in all my current studies, I have to say, the Prayer of St. Francis is the most Buddhist Catholic prayer ever written.

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;
and 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

The Dalai Lama couldn't have said it better.