Take, Lord, receive (St Ignatius)
Take, Lord, and receive all my freedom,
my memory, my understanding and all my will,
everything I have and hold.
You gave it to me; to you, Lord, I give it back.
All of it is yours: do with it whatever you will.
Give me your love and your grace;
that is enough for me.
Text: our own text or translation, written for Verso.
In Latin
Suscipe, Domine, universam meam libertatem.
Accipe memoriam, intellectum atque voluntatem omnem.
Quidquid habeo vel possideo mihi largitus es;
id tibi totum restituo,
ac tuae prorsus voluntati trado gubernandum.
Amorem tui solum cum gratia tua mihi dones,
et dives sum satis, nec aliud quidquam ultra posco. Amen.
About this prayer
St Ignatius of Loyola wrote this offering in Spanish for the 'Contemplation to attain love' that crowns his Spiritual Exercises; the Latin version was approved with the book in 1548. It hands back to God everything he has given. Jesuits and many others pray it at the end of a retreat, after Communion, or when renewing their gift of self.