St. Anselm of Canterbury was a Benedictine monk and theologian. His feast day is April 21. The prayer below is found in a work he wrote entitled The Proslogion. Anselm argued that faith precedes reason and that belief in God leads to a deeper understanding of God.
Anselm’s Prayer is a good prayer to say before reading scripture. It would also work well will a discussion of discernment or discipleship.
Anselm’s Prayer
O my God teach my heart where and how to seek you,
where and how to find you…
You are my God and you are my All and I have never seen you.
You have made me and remade me,
You have bestowed on me all the good things I possess,
Still I do not know you…
I have not yet done that for which I was made….
Teach me to seek you…
I cannot seek you unless you teach me
or find you unless you show yourself to me.
Let me seek you in my desire, let me desire you in my seeking.
Let me find you by loving you, let me love you when I find you.
Printable Copy
More Resources
Give Me Discerning Eyes
Like St. Anselm’s prayer, this prayer asks for God’s grace in seeing His will for us and understanding our own hearts. And then it asks us to be able to help others see.
How to Pray the Daily Examen
The daily Examen is a practice which helps us understand how God is speaking to us through our everyday experiences.
Prayer of Teilhard de Chardin – Patient Trust
In this prayer we ask for the grace to patiently wait to hear God’s voice.
Four Rules for Discernment Video
In this video, Fr. Mike Schmitz explains the four rules for discernment. Think of the choice before you and then prayerfully consider 1. Is this a good door? 2. Is this an open door? 3. Is this a wise door? and 4. Is this a door that I want?
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