Dear Lord—
Teach me to love You with all my heart, all my mind, all my soul and all my strength.
Teach me to love my neighbor more than I love myself.
Teach me to love my wife as I love my own body.
And teach me to take up my cross and follow You.
Cleanse me Lord of all self-love—
Cleanse my heart of all self-love,
cleanse my mind of all self-love,
cleanse my soul of all self-love,
and cleanse my body of all self-love.
Free me from all that binds me so that I may love You, Lord, with all my heart, all my mind, all my soul and all my strength—
Focus my heart in love for You, Lord.
Focus my mind in love for You,
focus my soul in love for You,
and focus my body in love for You.
Enable me to love my neighbor more than I love myself,
enable me to love my wife as I love my own body,
and enable me to take up my cross and follow You.
So fill my will with desire to do only Your will,
that I am only able to love You with all my heart,
all my mind, all my soul and all my strength.
So I am unable to love my neighbor less than I love myself,
so I am unable to love my wife less than I love my own body—
because You have taught me, cleansed me, freed me and focused me upon Your cross;
and by my cross, transform me into a good and faithful servant whom You love.
~FS
Prayerful Life 