O God, Framer of the universe, grant
me first rightly to invoke Thee; then to
show myself worthy to be heard by
Thee; lastly, deign to set me free. God,
through whom all things which of
themselves were not, tend to be. God, who out of nothing hast created this
world, which the eyes of all perceive to
be most beautiful. God, the Father of
truth, the Father of wisdom, the Father
of the true and crowning life, the
Father of blessedness, the Father of that which is good and fair, the Father
of intelligible light, the Father of our
awakening and illumination, the
Father of the pledge by which we are
admonished to return to Thee.
God, from whom to be turned away, is
to fall: to whom to be turned back, is
to rise again: in whom to abide, is to
stand firm. God, from whom to go
forth, is to die: to whom to return, is to
revive: in whom to have our dwelling, is to live. God, whom no one loses,
unless deceived: whom no one seeks,
unless stirred up: whom no one finds,
unless made pure. God, by whom we
distinguish good from ill. God, by
whom we flee evil, and follow good. God, who leadest us to the door of life.
God, who causest it to be opened to
them that knock. God, who givest us
the bread of life. God, who cleansest
us, and preparest us for Divine
rewards, come graciously to me.
Thou the only God, come unto my
help. God, whom all things serve, that
serve, to whom is compliant every
virtuous soul. By whose laws the poles
revolve, the stars fulfill their courses,
the sun enlivens the day, the moon tempers the night: and all the
framework of things, day after day by
turns of light and gloom, month after
month by waxings and wanings of
the moon, year after year by
unceasing order of spring and summer and fall and winter, and
through the mighty orbs of time,
folding and refolding upon
themselves, as the stars still recur to
their first conjunctions, maintains, so
far as mere visible matter allows, the mighty constancy of things. God, by
whose laws the choice of the soul is
free, and to the good rewards and to
the evil pains are distributed by
necessities settled throughout all
natures. Who hast made man after Thine image and likeness, as he who
has come to know himself discovers.
Hear me, hear me, graciously hear me,
my God, my Lord, my King, my Father,
my Cause, my Hope, my Wealth, my
Honor, my House, my Country, my Health, my Light, my Life. Hear, hear,
hear me graciously, in that way, all
Thine own, which though known to
few is to those few known so well.
Henceforth Thee alone do I love, Thee
alone I follow, Thee alone I seek, Thee
alone am I prepared to serve, for Thou
alone art rightly Lord, and of Thy
lordship I desire to be. Direct, I pray,
and command whatever Thou wilt, but heal and open my ears, that I may
hear Thine utterances. Heal and open
my eyes, that I may behold the signs
of thy command. Drive delusion from
me, that I may recognize Thee. O Lord,
most merciful Father receive, I pray, Thy fugitive; enough already, surely,
have I been punished, long enough
have I served Thine enemies, whom
Thou hast under Thy feet, long
enough has error had its way with me.
To Thee I feel I must return: I knock; may Thy door be opened to me; teach
me the way to Thee.
