A Prayer for Catholic Enlightenment by Cardinal Newman

Posted by Censor Librorum on Mar 30, 2012 | Categories: Arts & Letters, Faith, Humor

I found this prayer and commentary on the blog “Enlightended Catholicism.” I have a copy of it pinned near by my desk. Whenever my soul needs a lift I read it and smile.

Prayer For Catholic Enlightenment by Cardinal Newman

Prayer for the Light of Truth

O my God, I confess that You can enlighten my darkness. I confess that You alone can. I wish my darkness to be enlightened.

I do not know whether You will: but that You can and that I wish, are sufficient reasons for me to ask, what You at least have not forbidden my asking.

I hereby promise that by Your grace which I am asking, I will embrace whatever at length feel certain is the truth, if ever I come to be certain.

And by Your grace I will guard against all self-deceit which may lead me to take what nature would have, rather than what reason approves.

Addition by blog author:  Dear God, please help me understand the above prayer. I know you can, if you so will it and haven’t forbidden it. I sort of think so anyway. Seriously.