I beseech Thee by what Thou art to assist me in this hour, to the end that I may assuredly pray in such manner as Thou requirest, for the glory of Thy most holy Name, and for the profit of my soul. Amen.
This manner of prayer may be directed to the Three Divine Persons in this form:
Sometimes to the Eternal Father, saying to Him, "Sovereign Father, I offer unto Thee this my prayer, united and incorporated with that of Thy only-begotten Son Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I beseech thee to aid me to pray in such manner as He prayed, that my prayer, as His was, may be acceptable to Thee."
At other times it may be directed to the Son of God, saying to Him, as did the Apostles, [1] " My Redeemer and Master, teach me to pray, and aid me to pray with attention, purity, and fervour like to that which Thou hadst when Thou didst pray to Thy Father, that my prayer, as Thine was, may be acceptable to Him."
At other times to the Holy Ghost, saying to Him that of the apostle St. Paul: [2] " Most Holy Spirit, I am an ignorant and wretched sinner, I know not what to pray for, nor how to ask it as behoveth me. Thou, my God, ask within me, moving me to ask with groanings unspeakable, that my prayer may be well received, proceeding from so noble a beginning as Thou art, to whom be honour and glory world without end. Amen."
In this way is fulfilled that which St. Dionysius [3] says, that every theological or divine act (which that is that beholds God, and treats of Him and with Him) ought to begin with prayer, invoking and calling upon the favour of the Most Holy Trinity, who is present in every place, delivering up ourselves to Him with pure petitions, with a settled
