THE EXCELLENCE OF A FREE MIND, GAINED THROUGH
PRAYER RATHER THAN BY STUDY
THE DISCIPLE
IT IS the mark of a perfect man, Lord, never to let his mind
relax in attention to heavenly things, and to pass through many cares
as though he had none; not as an indolent man does, but having by the
certain prerogative of a free mind no disorderly affection for any
created being.
Keep me, I beg You, most merciful God, from the cares of this
life, lest I be too much entangled in them. Keep me from many
necessities of the body, lest I be ensnared by pleasure. Keep me from
all darkness of mind, lest I be broken by troubles and overcome. I do
not ask deliverance from those things which worldly vanity desires so
eagerly, but from those miseries which, by the common curse of
humankind, oppress the soul of Your servant in punishment and keep him
from entering into the liberty of spirit as often as he would.
My God, Sweetness beyond words, make bitter all the carnal
comfort that draws me from love of the eternal and lures me to its
evil self by the sight of some delightful good in the present. Let it
not overcome me, my God. Let not flesh and blood conquer me. Let not
the world and its brief glory deceive me, nor the devil trip me by his
craftiness. Give me courage to resist, patience to endure, and
constancy to persevere. Give me the soothing unction of Your spirit
rather than all the consolations of the world, and in place of carnal
love, infuse into me the love of Your name.
Behold, eating, drinking, clothing, and other necessities that
sustain the body are burdensome to the fervent soul. Grant me the
grace to use such comforts temperately and not to become entangled in
too great a desire for them. It is not lawful to cast them aside
completely, for nature must be sustained, but Your holy law forbids us
to demand superfluous things and things that are simply for pleasure,
else the flesh would rebel against the spirit. In these matters, I
beg, let Your hand guide and direct me, so that I may not overstep the
law in any way. |
Of the exaltation of a free spirit, which humble
prayer more deserveth than doth frequent reading
Lord, this is the work of a perfect man, never to
slacken his mind from attention to heavenly things, and among many
cares to pass along as it were without care, not after the manner of
one indifferent, but rather with the privilege of a free mind,
cleaving to no creature with inordinate affection.
2. I beseech Thee, my most merciful Lord God,
preserve me from the cares of this life, lest I become too much
entangled; from many necessities of the body, lest I be taken captive
by pleasure; from all obstacles of the spirit, lest I be broken and
cast down with cares. I say not from those things which the vanity of
the world goeth about after with all eagerness, but from those
miseries, which by the universal curse of mortality weigh down and
hold back the soul of thy servant in punishment, that it cannot enter
into liberty of spirit, so often as it would.
3. O my God, sweetness unspeakable, turn into
bitterness all my fleshly consolation, which draweth me away from the
love of eternal things, and wickedly allureth toward itself by setting
before me some present delight. Let not, O my God, let not flesh and
blood prevail over me, let not the world and its short glory deceive
me, let not the devil and his craftiness supplant me. Give me courage
to resist, patience to endure, constancy to persevere. Grant, in place
of all consolations of the world, the most sweet unction of Thy
Spirit, and in place of carnal love, pour into me the love of Thy
Name.
4. Behold, food and drink and clothing, and all
the other needs appertaining to the support of the body, are
burdensome to the devout spirit. Grant that I may use such things
with moderation, and that I be not entangled with inordinate affection
for them. To cast away all these things is not lawful, because nature
must be sustained, but to require superfluities and things which
merely minister delight, the holy law forbiddeth; for otherwise the
flesh would wax insolent against the spirit. In all these things, I
beseech Thee, let Thy hand guide and teach me, that I in no way
exceed. |