Enlighten me, Lord Jesus, with the clarity of everlasting light, and drive out of my heart all manner of darkness and all vain imaginations and violent temptation. Fight strongly for me and drive away the evil beasts—that is, all my evil and wicked concupiscences [strong sexual desires, lusts]—so that peace of conscience may enter and fully rule within me, and that an abundance of glory and praise of your Name may sound continually in the chamber of my soul in a pure and clean conscience. Command the winds and the tempests of pride to cease; bid the sea of worldly covetousness to be at rest; and charge the northern wind—that is, the devil’s temptation—not to blow. Then great tranquility and peace will be within me.

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 the love of spiritual things, so that by a taste of heavenly joy it may loathe to think on any earthly thing. 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.

—The Imitation of Christ