prayer, virtue

The Suscipe of St. Ignatius of Loyola

Here’s another prayer that makes me uncomfortable – and that’s a good thing.  I’m starting to use it after receiving Holy Communion.

Suscipe (St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus)

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding
and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.

You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.

Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace.
That is enough for me.

 

2 thoughts on “The Suscipe of St. Ignatius of Loyola”

  1. This prayer also makes me uncomfortable. Here’s how.
    1. Even Jesus in Gethsemane did not give his human liberty or will over to his Father. He freely aligned his will with his Father’s.
    2. “To you, Lord, I return it” sounds a little too much like the servant that buried his master’s talent in the ground rather than at least earning some interest on it.
    I’d be interested to hear anyone’s thoughts.

    1. I never considered it that way, Laurence, instead I interpreted the words of Ignatius to mean to express a free and radical alignment of his with God’s. I considered it to be a poignant morning offering.

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