Who shall give me Wings?

"St Francis in prayer" by Giovanni Castiglione

Grant me, Lord, special grace to rest in Thee above all creatures, above all health and fairness, above all glory and honor, above all dignity and power, above all wisdom and policy, above all riches and crafts, above all gladness of body and of soul, above all fame and praising, above all sweetness and consolation, above all hope and promise, above all merit and desire, above all gifts and rewards that Thou mayst give or send besides Thyself, and above all joy and mirth that man's heart or mind may feel. And also above all angels and all the company of heavenly spirits, above all things that are not Thyself.

For Thou, Lord God, art most good, most high, most mighty, most sufficient and most full of goodness; most sweet, most comfortable, most fair, most loving, most noble, and most glorious above all things; in whom all goodness and perfection is, has been, and ever shall be. And therefore whatsoever Thou gives me besides Thyself, it is little and insufficient to me; for my heart may not rest nor fully be pacified so that it ascend above all gifts and above all manner of things that are created, unless in Thee :

O my Lord, most loving spouse, most pure I-over and governor of every creature! Who shall give me wings of perfect liberty that I may fly high and rest in Thee! O when shall I gather myself together in Thee so perfectly that I shall -not, for Thy love, feel myself, but Thee alone, above myself and above all bodily things, and that Thou shalt visit me in such a way as Thou dost visit Thy faithful lovers? ...

---by Thomas a Kempis , medieval Christian monk