Prayers Inspired by The Conversion of St Francis

Reproduced by kind permission of the Custos and community OFMConv, Sacro Convento, Assisi

All-highest, glorious God,
Cast your light in to the darkness of my heart.
                        Give me Right Faith
                           Firm Hope
                          Perfect Charity
                    and Profound Humility
with Wisdom and Perception, O Lord, so that I may do what is truly your holy will.

ST FRANCIS’ PRAYER BEFORE HIS CRUCIFIX

Take Lord and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding and my entire will;
all that I have and possess.

You have given it all to me:
to you, O Lord, I return it.
All is yours;
do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and grace,
for this is enough for me.
Our one desire and choice in life should be this:
I want and I choose what better leads to God deepening his life in me.

 ST IGNATIUS

Grant to us, O Lord, to know that which is worth knowing, to love that which is worth loving, to praise that which pleases you most, to esteem that which is most precious to you, and to dislike whatsoever is evil in your eyes. Grant us with true judgement to distinguish things that differ, and above all to search out and to do what is well pleasing to you, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THOMAS à KEMPIS

God Almighty, Eternal, Righteous, and Merciful, give to us poor sinners to do for your sake all that we know of your will, and to will always what pleases you, so that inwardly purified, enlightened, and kindled by the fire of the Holy Spirit, we may follow in the footprints of your well-beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI

Dearest Lord, teach me to be generous;
teach me to serve you as you deserve;
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labour and not to seek reward, except to know that I do your will.

IGNATIUS LOYOLA

Take my life, and let it be
 Consecrated, Lord, to thee
Take my moments and my days,
 Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my hands, and let them move
 At the impulse of thy love.
Take my feet, and let them be
 Swift and purposeful for thee.

Take my voice, and let me sing
 Always, only, for my King.
Take my intellect, and use
 Every power as thou shalt choose.

Take my will, and make it thine:
 It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is thine own:
 It shall be thy royal throne.

Take my love; my Lord, I pour
 At thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
 Ever, only, all for thee.

FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL