Students' Prayer

I have a thesis to write, a conference paper deadline in two weeks, students to meet, 60 papers to mark, another conference to think about, research assistant assignments to handle. Here's a wonderful prayer for all my readers who have deadlines to meet these days. Isn't it a consolation to know that the great St. Thomas also needed to ask God to take away his ignorance and sinfulness.

St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Augustine, St. John Bosco, St. Thomas More, please pray for us!

 

Creator of all things,
true source of light and wisdom,
origin of all being,
graciously let a ray of your light penetrate
the darkness of my understanding.

Take from me the double darkness
in which I have been born,
an obscurity of sin and ignorance.

Give me a keen understanding,
a retentive memory, and
the ability to grasp things
correctly and fundamentally.

Grant me the talent
of being exact in my explanations
and the ability to express myself
with thoroughness and charm.

Point out the beginning,
direct the progress,
and help in the completion.

I ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.