St. Anselm

Born in northern Italy, and living in France and England in the 11th Century,  Anselm was an influential scholar, Archbishop of Canterbury, and considered to be the father of the Scholastic movement. He is one of 33 men and women named as "Doctors of the Church".

It is from this quote of his that we come to one definition of 'theology' as "faith seeking understanding":

Nor do I seek to understand that I may believe, but I believe that I may understand. For this too I believe, that unless I first believe, I shall not understand.

 For someone whose writings could be technically precise and philosophically deep, he was also grounded in prayer and focused on the love of God. So, for our own prayer today, a prayer and a song from St. Anselm:

A Prayer Of Anselm 

My God, I pray that I may so know you and love you
that I may rejoice in you.
And if I may not do so fully in this life
let me go steadily on to the day
when I come to that fullness ...
Let me receive
That which you promised through your truth,
that my joy may be full.

A Song Of Anselm
Jesus, as a mother you gather your people to you:
you are gentle with us as a mother with her children;
Often you weep over our sins and our pride:
tenderly you draw us from hatred and judgement.
You comfort us in sorrow and bind up our wounds:
in sickness you nurse us, and with pure milk you feed us.
Jesus, by your dying we are born to new life:
by your anguish and labour we come forth in joy.
Despair turns to hope through your sweet goodness:
through your gentleness we find comfort in fear.
Your warmth gives life to the dead:
your touch makes sinners righteous.
Lord Jesus, in your mercy heal us:
in your love and tenderness remake us.
In your compassion bring grace and forgiveness:
for the beauty of heaven may your love prepare us.

St. Anselm, pray for us!