Dear friends,
I have been reminded of a wonderful prayer in the Christian tradition,
The Anima Christi,
Which is traditionally recited after the reception of Holy Communion.
A listener has requested that I share this prayer here on InsideTimer,
And I have added a reflection which might be of universal use.
But first,
The prayer itself,
Which goes back to the 14th century,
And is attributed to Saint Ignatius of Loyola.
Soul of Christ,
Sanctify me.
Body of Christ,
Save me.
Blood of Christ,
Inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ,
Wash me.
Passion of Christ,
Strengthen me.
O good Jesus,
Hear me.
Within thy wounds,
Hide me.
Suffer me not to be separated from thee.
From thee,
Malignant enemy,
Defend me.
In the hour of my death,
Call me,
And bid me come unto thee,
That with thy saints I may praise thee forever and ever.
Amen.
Let's have a pause now,
A one-minute pause,
Before we move on to the reflection based on this ancient prayer.
Welcome back,
And now a reflection.
May the Spirit of Life breathe through me.
May its quiet strength fill the empty spaces of my being.
Let the same Spirit steady me in times of restlessness.
May it give me courage if ever I am afraid,
And energy whenever I run out of steam.
May love,
Understanding,
And compassion be my abiding motivation.
Let the memory of kindness,
Kindnesses given and received,
Fill me with gratitude for the past,
And hope for the future.
If ever I feel lost,
Let me pause and draw strength from moments of stillness,
Never forgetting that I am loved.
May I never lose the light of hope,
And let my light be a beacon in times of darkness.
May I never give up the exploration of the mystery that transcends all names and forms.
And inadequately referred to by words such as God.
Let me find comfort in the knowledge that I am an inseparable part of an interdependent web of all that is.
Remind me that whoever I am,
Whatever my background or beliefs,
I have a right to be here.
And with that,
The possibility of making my unique contribution to the world.
And when my day's work is done,
When the restlessness and striving ends,
May I fall gently back into that boundless love from which I came,
To be at one with all who have ever lived,
And all who ever will be.
Namaste.
