
Prayer for Conversion
St. Augustine
O God, Framer of the universe, grant me first rightly to invoke Thee; then to show
myself worthy to be heard by Thee; lastly, deign to set me free. God, through whom all
things which of themselves were not, tend to be. God, who out of nothing hast created this
world, which the eyes of all perceive to be most beautiful. God, the Father of truth, the
Father of wisdom, the Father of the true and crowning life, the Father of blessedness, the
Father of that which is good and fair, the Father of intelligible light, the Father of our
awakening and illumination, the Father of the pledge by which we are admonished to return
to Thee.
God, from whom to be turned away, is to fall: to whom to be turned back, is to rise
again: in whom to abide, is to stand firm. God, from whom to go forth, is to die: to whom
to return, is to revive: in whom to have our dwelling, is to live. God, whom no one loses,
unless deceived: whom no one seeks, unless stirred up: whom no one finds, unless made
pure. God, by whom we distinguish good from ill. God, by whom we flee evil, and follow
good. God, who leadest us to the door of life. God, who causest it to be opened to them
that knock. God, who givest us the bread of life. God, who cleansest us, and preparest us
for Divine rewards, come graciously to me.
Thou the only God, come unto my help. God, whom all things serve, that serve, to whom
is compliant every virtuous soul. By whose laws the poles revolve, the stars fulfill their
courses, the sun enlivens the day, the moon tempers the night: and all the framework of
things, day after day by turns of light and gloom, month after month by waxings and
wanings of the moon, year after year by unceasing order of spring and summer and fall and
winter, and through the mighty orbs of time, folding and refolding upon themselves, as the
stars still recur to their first conjunctions, maintains, so far as mere visible matter
allows, the mighty constancy of things. God, by whose laws the choice of the soul is free,
and to the good rewards and to the evil pains are distributed by necessities settled
throughout all natures. Who hast made man after Thine image and likeness, as he who has
come to know himself discovers. Hear me, hear me, graciously hear me, my God, my Lord, my
King, my Father, my Cause, my Hope, my Wealth, my Honor, my House, my Country, my Health,
my Light, my Life. Hear, hear, hear me graciously, in that way, all Thine own, which
though known to few is to those few known so well.
Henceforth Thee alone do I love, Thee alone I follow, Thee alone I seek, Thee alone am
I prepared to serve, for Thou alone art rightly Lord, and of Thy lordship I desire to be.
Direct, I pray, and command whatever Thou wilt, but heal and open my ears, that I may hear
Thine utterances. Heal and open my eyes, that I may behold the signs of thy command. Drive
delusion from me, that I may recognize Thee. O Lord, most merciful Father receive, I pray,
Thy fugitive; enough already, surely, have I been punished, long enough have I served
Thine enemies, whom Thou hast under Thy feet, long enough has error had its way with me.
To Thee I feel I must return: I knock; may Thy door be opened to me; teach me the way to
Thee.
Soliloquies 2-5, Abridged.
Electronic text (c) Copyright 1997 EWTN. All rights reserved.
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