Help me to journey beyond the familiar
and into the unknown.
Give me the faith to leave old ways
and break fresh ground with You.
Christ of the mysteries, I trust You
to be stronger than each storm within me.
I will trust in the darkness and know
that my times, even now, are in Your hand.
Tune my spirit to the music of heaven,
and somehow, make my obedience count for You.
Lord Jesus Christ, pierce my soul with your love so that I may always long for you alone, who are the bread of angels and the fulfilment of the soul’s deepest desires. May my heart always hunger and feed on you, so that my soul may be filled with sweetness in your presence. May my soul thirst for you, who are the source of life, wisdom, knowledge, light, and all the riches of God our Father. May I always seek and find you, think about you, speak to you, and do everything for the honour and glory of your name. Be always my hope, my peace, my refuge and help in whom my heart is rooted so that I may never be separated from you.
St. Bonaventure, 13th century.
Covenant Prayer (Methodist prayer)
I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low by thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things
to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit,
Thou art mine and I am thine. So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
Let it be ratified in heaven. Amen
Take Lord and Receive
Take Lord, and receive all my liberty,
My memory, my understanding,
And my entire will, all that I have and possess.
Thou hast given all to me.
To thee, O Lord, I return it.
All is Thine, dispose of it wholly according to thy will.
Give me thy love and thy grace, for this is sufficient for me.
Words to God, from the depth of my heart
St. Gregory of Narek
There was a time when I did not exist
Yet thou hast created me;
I did not beseech thee for a wish
Yet thou hast fulfilled it;
I did not come into the light
Yet thou hast seen me;
I had not yet appeared
And thou hast taken pity on me;
I had not invoked thee
Yet thou hast taken care of me;
I did not raise my head
Yet thou hast looked at me;
I had not entreated thee
Yet thou wast merciful to me;
I had not uttered a sound
Yet thou hast heard me;
I had not groaned
Yet thou has lent an ear.
With eyes that knew the future, thou sawest
The crimes of my guilty self
And yet thou hast fashioned me;
And now, I who have been created by thee
And saved by thee
Are also being tended with such care,
By thee, My Lord,
Who art behind me
And also before me.
Spare Me
St. Gregory of Narek
Spare me that I may not
labor without birth,
sigh without tears,
meditate without voice,
cloud without rain,
struggle without reaching,
call without being heard,
implore without being heeded,
groan without being comforted,
beg without being helped,
smolder without aroma,
see you without being fulfilled.