O most blessed Lord, deign to help us, and of Thy great mercy abolish our sins; detach our minds from earthly things, and raise them to the love of heavenly riches. Most merciful God, who dost favour all true love, do Thou so aid and direct us that we may love Thee above all things, and recognizing Thine infinite benefits, may keep them in memory, and give Thee everlasting thanks for them. Finally, grant that ours may be the blessed life which shall enjoy Thy love for ever; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. —Raymond Jordanus Self-Renunciation If a man may attain thereunto, to be unto God as his hand is unto man, let him be therewith content, and not seek further.... That we may thus deny ourselves, and forsake and renounce all things for God’s sake, and give up our own wills, and die unto ourselves, and live unto God alone and to his will, may He help us who gave up His will to His heavenly Father,—Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be blessing for ever and ever. Amen. —Theologia Germanica The God We Love Now, he who will hold to God, loves all things in the One which is One and All; and the One in All, because All is in the One; and he who loves somewhat, this or that, otherwise than in the One, and for the sake of the One, loves not God; for he loves somewhat which is not God, therefore he loves it more than God. But he who loves somewhat more than God, or equally with God, loves not God; for God must be and will be alone loved, and in truth nothing ought to be loved but God alone. And when the True Light and the True divine Love dwell in a man, he loves nothing else but God alone. For he loves God as the Good, and for the sake of the Good, and all Goods as One, and One as All. For, verily, All is One and One is All in God. Amen. —Theologia Germanica FIFTEENTH CENTURY PRAYERS The Quiet Hour Lord, I offer unto Thee all my sins and offences, which I have committed before Thee, from the day wherein I first could sin even to this hour; that Thou mayest consume and burn them, one and all, with the fire of Thy love, and do away all the stains of my sins, and cleanse my conscience from all offences, and restore to me Thy grace, fully forgiving me all, and admitting me mercifully to the kiss of peace. I offer up also unto Thee all that is good in me, though it be very small and imperfect, in order that Thou mayest amend and sanctify it, that Thou mayest make it grateful and acceptable unto Thee, and always be perfecting it more and more; and bring me also, slothful and unprofitable poor creature as I am, to a good and blessed end. Amen. —Thomas à Kempis[2] For Faithful and Prepared Lives