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Extract from Chapter 1 of the Proslogion by Anselm of Canterbury
In which the mind is aroused, to the contemplation of God
Come now, little man,
turn aside for a while from your daily employment,
escape for a moment from the tumult of your thoughts.
Put aside your weighty cares,
let your burdensome distractions wait,
free yourself awhile for God
and rest awhile in him.
Enter the inner chamber of your soul,
shut out everything except God
and that which can help you in seeking him,
and when you have shut the door, seek him.
Now, my whole heart, say to God,
'I seek your face,
Lord, it is your face I seek.'
Conclusion: from Chapter 26
My God,
I pray that I may so know you and love you
that I may rejoice in you.
And if I may not do so fully in this life,
let me go steadily on
to the day when I come to that fullness.
Let the knowledge of you increase in me here,
and there let it come to its fullness.
Let your love grow in me here,
and there let it be fulfilled,
so that here my joy may be in a great hope,
and there in full reality.
Lord,
you have commanded, or rather advised us,
to ask by your Son,
and you have promised that we shall receive
'that our joy may be full'.
That which you counsel
through our 'wonderful counsellor'
is what I am asking for, Lord.
Let me receive
that which you promised through your truth,
'that my joy may be full,.
God of truth,
I ask that I may receive,
so that my joy may be full.
Meanwhile, let my mind mediate on it,
let my tongue speak of it,
let my heart love it,
let my mouth preach it,
let my soul hunger for it
my flesh thirst for it,
and my whole being desire it,
until I enter into the joy of my Lord,
who is God one and triune, blessed forever. Amen.
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