Prayer
O merciful God, whatever is pleasing to you, may I ardently desire, wisely pursue, truly recognize, and bring to perfect completion. For the praise and glory of your name, put order into my life and grant that I may know what it is you require me to do. Help me to achieve whatever is fitting and necessary for the good of my soul. May my way, Lord, be yours entirely, upright and perfect, failing in neither prosperity nor adversity so that, in prosperity, I give you thanks, and in adversity, serve patience, neither exalted in the former nor dejected in the latter.
May I not rejoice in anything unless it leads me to you, nor be saddened by anything unless it turns me from you. May I not desire to please or fear to displease anyone but you. May all passing things become worthless to me on your account, and all things that are yours be dear to me, and you, God, above all things. May all joy without you leave me tired and weary, and may I not desire anything apart from you. May all work that is done for you delight me, Lord, and all repose not centered on your presence be wearisome.
Let me, my God, direct my heart to you often and let me grieve over my failure with determination to change. Make me, my God, humble without pretense, cheerful without frivolity, sad without dejection, mature without heaviness, quick-witted without levity, truthful without duplicity. Let me fear you without despair, and hope in you without presumption. Let me correct my neighbor without hypocrisy, and without pride edify him by word and example: obedient without contradiction, patient without murmuring.
Give me, dearest God, a vigilant heart which no distracting thought can lure away from you. Give me a noble heart which no unworthy desire can ever debase. Give me an unconquered heart which no tribulation can fatigue. Give me a free heart which no violent temptation can enslave. Give me an upright heart which no perverse intention can hold fast.
Grant me, Lord my God, intelligence in knowing you, diligence in seeking you, wisdom in finding you, conversation pleasing to you, perseverance in confidently waiting for you, and confidence in finally embracing you. Grant that as penance I may be afflicted with your hardships, as grace, make use along the way of your favors, and as glory, delight in your joys in the fatherland. Amen.
Commentary
In his commentary on the Concede Michi: Prayer for the Wise Ordering of One’s Life, Paul Murray states that this beautiful prayer reflects three critical themes central to Aquinas’s spirituality and theology:
- The Passionate Search for Knowledge of God: The prayer encapsulates Aquinas’s conviction that true wisdom, granted by the Holy Spirit, is essential for ordering life toward God. The petition to “put order into my life” reflects Aquinas’s principle that wisdom is the capacity to recognize God as the “Highest Cause” and, in light of that, to understand all other causes in their proper relation to God (Murray, Aquinas at Prayer, 44). The plea “May I not rejoice in anything unless it leads me to you” demonstrates a contemplative focus, elevating all aspects of life to divine order. This mirrors Aquinas’s theological emphasis that the pursuit of wisdom must guide every action and desire, orienting the heart and mind to God’s will (AP, 45).
- The Christian Life of Virtue: The prayer embodies Aquinas’s understanding of the “golden mean,” the balance that virtue provides between excess and deficiency. As Aquinas notes in the Summa theologiae, moral and intellectual virtue consist in maintaining a mean in conformity with a measure, avoiding extremes (I-II, 64.4.1). The petition “May my way, Lord, be yours entirely, upright and perfect, failing in neither prosperity nor adversity” reflects this balance. In prosperity, the soul is called to gratitude, and in adversity, to patience. These aspirations align with Aquinas’s insistence that virtue orders the soul to remain stable and aligned with God’s will, regardless of external circumstances.
- The Longing for Eternal Life: The prayer articulates a deep yearning for eternal union with God, culminating in the petition: “Grant me, Lord my God, intelligence in knowing you, diligence in seeking you, wisdom in finding you… and confidence in finally embracing you.” This longing is further expressed in the plea, “May all passing things become worthless to me on your account.” Aquinas’s mystical theology is evident here, paralleling his response to the divine voice at the crucifix in Naples: “Nil nisi te, Domine” (“Lord, nothing but yourself”) (AP, 45–46). This reflects Aquinas’s ultimate goal of union with God, where earthly attachments fade, and the soul’s desires are fully satisfied in divine glory.
Authorship and Influence
The Concede Michi prayer aligns closely with Aquinas’s theological themes, supporting its attribution to him. Lydia Maidl questioned its authorship due to its non-scholastic style, but William of Tocco included the prayer in his Life of Aquinas, confirming its authenticity (AP, 49). The prayer also reflects the influence of Blessed Humbert of Romans’s Epistola, from which Aquinas drew key phrases and concepts. Medieval conventions welcomed such borrowing, viewing it as a form of spiritual enrichment (AP, 49). Aquinas’s use of Humbert’s text demonstrates his integration of Dominican wisdom into deeply personal, contemplative expressions of devotion.
Conclusion
The Concede Michi prayer exemplifies Aquinas’s synthesis of intellectual rigor, spiritual longing, and practical virtue. It articulates a clear vision of the Christian life: ordered toward God through wisdom, balanced by virtue, and fulfilled in eternal life. Its inclusion in Tocco’s Life and its thematic resonance with Aquinas’s writings affirm its authenticity, while its contemplative passion reveals a profoundly personal side of the Angelic Doctor’s spirituality. As Murray concludes, this prayer “elevates the soul’s aspirations toward God while maintaining humility and a clear awareness of human frailty” (AP, 52).
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