A Prayer for Study

At my school, we are in the home stretch of the semester. Students have one month left to wrap up work (and we professors have one month left to teach and grade!). In light of this, I offer the following prayer by Thomas Aquinas, which he used before he ever preached, dictated, or wrote. May it serve as a helpful guide for you as well.



Ineffable Creator,
Who, from the treasures of Your wisdom,
have established three hierarchies of angels,
have arrayed them in marvelous order
above the fiery heavens,
and have marshaled the regions
of the universe with such artful skill,
You are proclaimed
the true font of light and wisdom,
and the primal origin
raised high beyond all things.
Pour forth a ray of Your brightness
into the darkened places of my mind;
disperse from my soul
the twofold darkness
into which I was born:
sin and ignorance.
You make eloquent the tongues of infants.
refine my speech
and pour forth upon my lips
The goodness of Your blessing.
Grant to me
keenness of mind,
capacity to remember,
skill in learning,
subtlety to interpret,
and eloquence in speech.
May You
guide the beginning of my work,
direct its progress,
and bring it to completion.
You Who are true God and true Man,
who live and reign, world without end.
Amen.

Source: Anderson, R. and Moser, J. (2000). The Aquinas Prayer Book: The Prayers and Hymns of St. Thomas Aquinas. Manchester, NH: Sophia Institute Press.