a prayer for today

St_anselm
This prayer is from Saint Anselm- written just over 900 years ago- entitled "Prayer to Christ".  I’ve selected portions of it for today:

Lord Jesus Christ,
my Redeemer, my Mercy, and my Salvation:
I praise you and give you thanks.
They are far beneath the goodness of your gifts,
which deserve a better return of love;
but although I requite so poorly
the sweet riches of your love
which I have longed to have,
yet my soul will pay it’s debt
by some sort of praise and thanks,
not as I know I ought, but as I can.

Hope of my heart, strength of my soul,
help of my weakness,
by your powerful kindness complete
what in my powerless weakness I attempt.
My life, the end to which I strive,
although I have not yet attained to love you as I ought,
still let my desire for you
be as great as my love ought to be.
….

Most merciful Lord,
turn my lukewarmness into a fervant love of you.
Most gentle Lord,
my prayer tends towards this –
that by remembering and meditating
on the good things you have done
I may be enkindled with your love.
Your goodness, Lord, created me;
Your mercy cleansed what you had created
from original sin;
Your patience has hitherto borne with me, fed me, waited for me…

My Lord and my Creator,
you bear with me and nourish me – be my helper.
I thirst for you, I hunger for you, I desire you…

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