Come Now

‘Come now, fly for a moment from your affairs,
escape for a little while from the tumult of your thoughts..
Put aside now your weighty cares and leave your wearisome toils.
Abandon yourself for a little to God and rest for a little in Him.
Enter into the inner chamber of your soul, shut out everything
save God and what can be of help in your quest for Him
and, having locked the door, seek Him out.

Speak now my whole heart, speak now to God:
‘I seek your face, O Lord, your face seek.’…
What shall I do, most high God, what shall this exile do,
tormented by love of you and yet cast off far from your face?
I yearn to see you, desire to come close to you, I long to find you,
I am eager to seek you out and I do not see your face…
Look upon us, Lord; hear us, enlighten us, show yourself to us.
Give yourself to us that it may be well with us,
for without you it goes so ill for us.

Have pity on our efforts and our strivings towards you,
for we can avail nothing without you.
Teach me to seek you, and reveal yourself to me as I seek,
because can neither seek you if you do not teach me how,
nor find you unless you reveal yourself.

Let me seek you in desiring you;
let me desire you in seeking you;
let me find you in loving you;
let me love you in finding you.’

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Come Now (MP3)
St Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury (d.1109)

Proslogion, chapter 1

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