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The Disciple
O LORD, my God, Who created me to Your own image and
likeness, grant me this grace which You have shown to
be so great and necessary for salvation, that I may
overcome my very evil nature that is drawing me to
sin and perdition. For I feel in my flesh the law of
sin contradicting the law of my mind and leading me
captive to serve sensuality in many things. I cannot
resist the passions thereof unless Your most holy
grace warmly infused into my heart assist me.
There is need of Your grace, and of great grace, in
order to overcome a nature prone to evil from youth.
For through the first man, Adam, nature is fallen and
weakened by sin, and the punishment of that stain has
fallen upon all mankind. Thus nature itself, which
You created good and right, is considered a symbol of
vice and the weakness of corrupted nature, because
when left to itself it tends toward evil and to baser
things. The little strength remaining in it is like a
spark hidden in ashes. That strength is natural
reason which, surrounded by thick darkness, still has
the power of judging good and evil, of seeing the
difference between true and false, though it is not
able to fulfill all that it approves and does not
enjoy the full light of truth or soundness of
affection.
Hence it is, my God, that according to the inward man
I delight in Your law, knowing that Your command is
good, just, and holy, and that it proves the
necessity of shunning all evil and sin. But in the
flesh I keep the law of sin, obeying sensuality
rather than reason. Hence, also, it is that the will
to good is present in me, but how to accomplish it I
know not. Hence, too, I often propose many good
things, but because the grace to help my weakness is
lacking, I recoil and give up at the slightest
resistance. Thus it is that I know the way of
perfection and see clearly enough how I ought to act,
but because I am pressed down by the weight of my own
corruption I do not rise to more perfect things.
How extremely necessary to me, O Lord, Your grace is
to begin any good deed, to carry it on and bring it
to completion! For without grace I can do nothing,
but with its strength I can do all things in You. O
Grace truly heavenly, without which our merits are
nothing and no gifts of nature are to be esteemed!
Before You, O Lord, no arts or riches, no beauty
or strength, no wit or intelligence avail without
grace. For the gifts of nature are common to good and
bad alike, but the peculiar gift of Your elect is
grace or love, and those who are signed with it are
held worthy of everlasting life. So excellent is this
grace that without it no gift of prophecy or of
miracles, no meditation be it ever so exalted, can be
considered anything. Not even faith or hope or other
virtues are acceptable to You without charity and
grace.
O most blessed grace, which makes the poor in spirit
rich in virtues, which renders him who is rich in
many good things humble of heart, come, descend upon
me, fill me quickly with your consolation lest my
soul faint with weariness and dryness of mind.
Let me find grace in Your sight, I beg, Lord, for
Your grace is enough for me, even though I obtain
none of the things which nature desires. If I am
tempted and afflicted with many tribulations, I will
fear no evils while Your grace is with me. This is my
strength. This will give me counsel and help. This is
more powerful than all my enemies and wiser than all
the wise. This is the mistress of truth, the teacher
of discipline, the light of the heart, the consoler
in anguish, the banisher of sorrow, the expeller of
fear, the nourisher of devotion, the producer of
tears. What am I without grace, but dead wood, a
useless branch, fit only to be cast away?
Let Your grace, therefore, go before me and follow
me, O Lord, and make me always intent upon good
works, through Jesus Christ, Your Son.
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