Prayers

I came to You late, O Beauty so ancient and new. I came to love You late. You were within me and I was outside where I rushed about wildly searching for You like some monster loose in Your beautiful world. You were with me but I was not with You. You called me, You shouted to me, You wrapped me in Your Splendour, You broke past my deafness, You bathed me in Your Light, You sent my blindness reeling. You gave out such a delightful fragrance and I drew it in and came breathing hard after You. I tasted, and it made me hunger and thirst; You touched me, and I burned to know Your Peace.

-- St Augustine of Hippo

Evening Prayer

Watch, O Lord, with those who wake,
or watch, or weep tonight,
and give Your Angels and Saints charge over those who
sleep.
Tend Your sick ones, O Lord Christ.
Rest Your weary ones,
Bless Your dying ones,
Soothe Your suffering ones,
pity Your afflicted ones,
Shield Your joyous ones,
And all for Your love's sake.

Amen.

-- St Augustine

An Act of Love

O my God,
the true and only love of my soul,
what more couldst Thou do to induce me to love Thee!
Thou wast not content with dying for me;
Thou didst wish to institute this holy Sacrament,
to give Thyself entirely to me,
and thus unite Thy whole Heart
to the heart of a creature
so vile and ungrateful as I am.
And what is more,
Thou Thyself dost invite me to receive Thee;
Thou dost ardently desire that I should receive Thee.
O infinite love!
incromprehensible love!
a God wishes to give Himself to me!

My soul, dost thou believe all this?
What are thou doing,
or what hast thou to say?
O God,
infinitely amiable,
the only object worthy of all love,
I love Thee with my whole heart;
I love Thee above all things;
I love Thee more than myself -
more than my life!
Oh, that I could see Thee loved by all!
Oh, that I could make all hearts love Thee,
at much as Thou dost desire!
I love Thee,
O most amiable God;
and in loving Thee,
I unite my miserable heart to the heart of Seraphim,
to the heart of most holy Mary,
and to the Heart of Jesus Thy most holy Son.
Thus I love Thee,
O infinite Goodness,
with the love with which the Saints,
with which Jesus and Mary love Thee.

Amen.