Send out your light and your truth of spiritual knowledge, that it may shine upon the earth, barren and dry. Send down your grace from above, and with it anoint my dry heart. Give me the water of inward devotion to moisten the dryness of my soul, that it may bring forth good fruit, agreeable and pleasant to you. Raise up my mind that is sore oppressed by the heavy burden of sin, and lift up my desire to love the spiritual things, so that by a taste of heavenly joy it may loathe to think on earthly things. Take me Lord, and deliver me from the consolation of any earthly creatures which must of necessity shortly perish and fail, for there is nothing created that can fully satisfy my desires. Make me one with you in a sure bond of heavenly love, for you alone are sufficient to your lover, and without you all things are vain and of no substance.

—Imitation of Christ