in, and call home my senses to You; make me forget all worldly things; grant me to cast away speedily and to scorn all sinful phantoms. O Everlasting Truth, come to my aid, that no vanity may move me! Come to me, heavenly Sweetness, and let all impurity flee from before Your face.
Pardon me also, and in mercy deal gently with me, whenever in prayer I think of things other than You. For truly I confess, that I am often exceedingly distracted. Often I am not where my body is standing or sitting; but rather I am where my thoughts carry me. Where my thoughts are, there am I; and commonly my thoughts are where my where my affection is. That too readily occurs to me which is naturally delightful, or by habit has become pleasing. It is for these reasons, that You who are Truth itself has said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”.† if I love Heaven, I willingly muse on heavenly things. If I love the world, I rejoice in the prosperity of the world, and grieve for the adversity thereof. If I love the flesh, I constantly imagine those things that belong to the flesh. If I love the Spirit, I delight to think on things spiritual. For whatever things I love, of these do I willingly speak and hear, and carry home with me the forms thereof.
But blessed is the man who for Your sake, O Lord, grants leave to depart