Irenic Thoughts

Irenic. The word means peaceful. This web log (or blog) exists to create an ongoing, and hopefully peaceful, series of comments on the life of King of Peace Episcopal Church. This is not a closed community. You are highly encouraged to comment on any post or to send your own posts.

6/22/2008

Prayer of Benedict

The following prayer is one of Benedict of Nursia (480-547) the founder of a form of monasticism that seeks a balance of work and prayer.

Father,
in your goodness
grant me the intellect to comprehend you,
the perception to discern you,
and the reason to appreciate you.

In your kindness
endow me with the diligence to look for you,
the wisdom to discover you,
and the spirit to apprehend you.

In your graciousness
bestow on me a heart to contemplate you,
ears to hear you, eyes to see you,
and a tongue to speak of you.

In your mercy
confer on me a conversation pleasing to you,
the patience to wait for you,
and the perseverance to long for you.

Grant me a perfect end—your holy presence.
Amen.

Labels: Benedict of Nursia, Benedictine

2 Comments:

At 6/22/2008 7:05 PM, Anonymous said…

As beautiful a prayer as it is, I cannot find any documentation for it being by St. Benedict himself. That it is by SOME Benedictine seems highly likely. Can you provide a source or a link that ties this prayer to the saint himself.
Pax et bonum
RNW+
At 6/22/2008 8:45 PM, King of Peace said…

Fair enough. It is only of Benedict in the sense of being Benedictine. No, I have no source dating this prayer traditionally attributed to Saint Benedict to be actualkly written by him. Though I do still like the prayer.