Act of Petition (by. Saint Augustine of Hippo.)

Give me Yourself, O my God,

give Yourself to me.

Behold I love You,

and if my love is too weak a thing,

grant me to love You more strongly.

I cannot measure my love to know how much

it falls short of being sufficient,

but let my soul hasten to Your embrace

and never be turned away until it is hiddeen

in the secret shelter of Your presence.

This only do I know,

that it is not good for me

when You are not with me,

when You are only outside me.

I want You in my very self.

All the plenty in the world

which is not my God is utter want.

Amen.