From The Three early Companions (Leo, Angelus and Rufinus) recollections of St. Francis
‘May the Lord give you peace.’
Later in his life, Francis said it was our Lord who taught him to greet people with the words: ‘May the Lord give you peace’.  He started every sermon with this greeting, and by his preaching and helpful guidance brought true peace to many who had previously lived at odds with Christ and were far from being reconciled to God.

Question: What do you think Francis might have said in his sermons to bring true peace to his hearers? Given the stress today, what might we say today, to bring peace to troubled people?

From the Rule of the First Order of 1223, Chapter 3
And this is my advice, my guidance and my earnest plea to my friars in the Lord Jesus Christ, that wherever they travel they should not be quarrelsome or argumentative or judgemental. They should be gentle, peaceful, unassuming, modest, and humble, speaking respectfully to everyone, as is expected of them.  

Question: Is that how peacemakers behave? Does it really bring peace? What about justice or unfairness – should we not argue?

From St. Bonaventure’s Life of St. Francis
Another time, St. Francis arrived at Arezzo when the whole town was being torn apart by fighting between different factions that threatened to destroy it. He was staying in a village near the town and he could see demons celebrating over it and urging the people on to mutual destruction. He was anxious to drive away these malicious powers of evil and so he sent brother Sylvester, a person of dove-like simplicity, asking him to approach the town as a messenger. ‘Go up to the town gate’, he said, ‘and in the name of Almighty God command the demons as a matter of obedience to go away immediately’. Sylvester was a genuinely obedient person and immediately did what he was told. He went to the town gates singing a hymn of praise to God and shouted, ‘In the name of God Almighty and by order of his servant Francis, be gone demons, all of you!’ At once the town was restored to a state of peace and they quietly and peacefully began to reform the laws on mutual rights. Once the malignant and presumptuous influence of the demons which encompassed the town like a besieging army had been driven away, it needed only the wisdom of a beggar, that is, Francis’ humility, to restore peace and save the town. For by means of the difficult way of humble obedience Francis gained complete authority over those rebellious and insolent spirits, so that he could defeat their vicious self-importance and put an end to their rebellious harassment.

Question: When people are in violent disagreement, can peace be made by suggesting that evil outside powers are manipulating them? People in modern society often talk about their ‘demons’ – what do they mean?

From the Assisi Compilation (1244-1260) eyewitness accounts
At that same time when Francis lay sick, the bishop of Assisi excommunicated the mayor. In return, the mayor lost his temper, and had this proclamation announced, loud and clear, throughout the city of Assisi: no one was to sell or buy anything from the bishop, or to draw up any legal document with him. And so they thoroughly hated each other.
Although very ill, blessed Francis was moved by pity for them, especially since there was no one, religious or secular, who was intervening for peace and harmony between them. He said to his companions: "It is a great shame for you, servants of God, that the bishop and the mayor hate one another in this way, and that there is no one intervening for peace and harmony between them."
And so, for that reason, he composed one verse for the Praises:
Be praised, my Lord, by all who forgive for love of you
and who bear weakness and trouble.
Blessed are those who bear them in peace;
for by you most high they will be crowned.
Afterwards he called one of his companions and told him: "Go to the mayor and, on my behalf, tell him to go to the bishop's residence together with the city's magistrates and bring with him as many others as he can.''
And when the brother had gone, he said to two of his other companions: "Go and sing the Canticle of Brother Sun before the bishop, the mayor, and the others who are with them. I trust in the Lord that He will humble their hearts and they will make peace with each other and return to their earlier friendship and love.
When they had all gathered in the piazza inside the cloister of the bishop's residence, the two brothers got up and one of them said: "In his illness, blessed Francis wrote the Praises of the Lord for His creatures, for His praise and the edification of his neighbour. He asks you, then, to listen to them with great devotion." And so, they began to sing and recite to them. And immediately the mayor stood up and, folding his arms and hands with great devotion, he listened intently, even with tears, as if to the Gospel of the Lord. For he had a great faith and devotion toward blessed Francis.
When the Praises of the Lord were ended, the mayor said to everyone, ''I tell you the truth, not only do I forgive the lord bishop, whom I must have as my lord, but I would even forgive someone who killed my brother or my son." And so he kneeled down in front of the lord bishop and said: "Look, I am ready to make amends to you for everything, in whatever way pleases you, for the love of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his servant, blessed Francis."
Taking him by the hands, the bishop stood up and said to him: "Because of my office humility is expected of me, but because I am naturally prone to anger, you must forgive me." And so, with great kindness and love they embraced and kissed each other.
And the brothers were greatly impressed, thinking of the holiness of blessed Francis, that what he had predicted about peace and harmony between them had been fulfilled to the letter.  

Question: If good people in positions of authority fall out with one another, does it help to ask them to put up with their disagreements and try to be generous and forgiving?

From the First Rule of the Third Order
They are to make a confession of their sins three times a year and to receive Communion at Christmas, Easter and Pentecost. They are to be reconciled with their neighbours and restore what belongs to others.
They are not to use lethal weapons, or carry them about, against anybody.
They are not to make formal oaths unless compelled by necessity.
In conversations they will do their best not to swear, and if they have done so thoughtlessly through a slip of the tongue, as happens in animated conversation, they should in the evening, when they think over what they have done, say three Our Fathers to compensate for the swearing. 

Question: Does not using threatening behaviour result in peace?

From the History of St Clare (1255)
I would like to write down the great aspects of her prayers with as much faithfulness to the truth as they are worthy of respect.
In the Spoleto Valley there was an armed mob of soldiers and Saracen archers swarming like bees at the imperial command to depopulate its villages and to spoil its cities.
Once when the angry mob went for Assisi, a city dear to the Lord, and the army was already near its gates, the Saracens, the worst of people, who thirsted for the blood of Christians and recklessly attempted every barbarity, rushed upon San Damiano [St. Clare’s convent], crossed its boundary and even the enclosure of the virgins. The hearts of the ladies melted with fear; their voices trembled with it, and they brought their tears to their mother [Clare]. She fearlessly ordered that she be brought, sick as she was, to the door and placed there in front of the enemy, while the silver pyx enclosed in ivory in which the Body of the Holy of Holies was most devotedly reserved, was placed in front of her.
When she had deeply bowed down to the Lord in prayer, she said to her Christ with tears in her eyes, ‘Look, my Lord, do you wish to deliver into the hands of pagans your defenceless servants whom you have nourished with your own love? Lord, I beg you to defend them - I am not able to defend at this time." Suddenly a voice sounding like a small child came to her from the throne of new grace: "I will always defend you." "My Lord, she said, "please protect this city which supports us through your love." And the Lord said to her: “It will suffer but I will protect it."
"Then the virgin, raising her tear-filled face, comforted the weeping sisters, saying: "My dear children, I guarantee you will not suffer any harm. Just have confidence in Christ." Those thugs immediately began to be frightened, their previous impudence deflated. They were driven away by the power of the one who was praying, disappearing quickly over those walls which they had scaled.
Straight away Clare earnestly asked those who had heard that voice: "Dearest children, be careful not to reveal in any way that voice to anyone while I am still in the body.''

Question: Do you really think prayer in a vulnerable situation can stop violent behaviour?