Prayer for Generosity
Attributed to Saint Ignatius Loyola
Saint Ignatius Loyola (born around AD 1491) founded the Jesuit religious order (Society of Jesus) during the Counter-Reformation. After suffering severe wounds as a soldier, he underwent a powerful conversion and turned his attention to following Christ. The Ignatian Spiritual Exercises refers to both a book and a type of spiritual retreat based on it. Spiritual Exercises consists of prayers and mental exercises to help believers deepen their spirituality. The book is like a handbook, and it is often used by spiritual directors to accompany and guide people through this dynamic process of reflection. This popular prayer is often attributed to Saint Ignatius Loyola, although it does not appear in any of his writings. His memorial falls on July 31.
Prayer for Generosity
Lord, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve You as You deserve;
To give and not to count the cost,
To fight and not to heed the wounds,
To toil and not to seek for rest,
To labor and not to ask for reward, save that of knowing that I do your will.
Attributed to Saint Ignatius Loyola
Updated 02-22-2023 by Elizabeth Craig