Prayer Before Studying by St. Thomas Aquinas
Come, Holy Spirit, Divine Creator,
true source of light and fountain of wisdom!
Pour forth your brilliance upon my dense intellect,
dissipate the darkness which covers me,
that of sin and of ignorance.
Grant me
a penetrating mind to understand,
a retentive memory,
method and ease in learning,
the lucidity to comprehend, and
abundant grace in expressing myself.
Guide the beginning of my work,
direct its progress,
and bring it to successful completion.
This I ask through Jesus Christ,
true God and true man,
living and reigning with you
and the Father, forever and ever.
Amen.
To Increase Memory
In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Glory be to Him who does not oppress His subject. Glory be to Him who does not chastise the people of the earth with various punishments. Glory be to Him who is kind (and) Merciful. O’ my Lord establish in my mind, light insight wisdom and knowledge; indeed You have power on everything.
For Confidence in God Prayers for College Students by Thomas Merton
Dear God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself…
and the fact that I think that I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe this:
I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You.
I hope I have that desire in everything I do.
I hope I never persist in anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this, You will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it at the time.
Therefore I will trust You always,
for though I may be lost – and in the shadow of death –
I will not be afraid, because I know You will never leave me to face my troubles all alone.
A Prayer For Knowledge And Strength by Saint Alcuin of York
Give me O Lord, I pray Thee
firm faith, unwavering hope
perfect charity.
Pour into my heart
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding
the Spirit of counsel and spiritual strength
the Spirit of knowledge and true godliness
and the Spirit of Thy holy fear
Light eternal, shine in my heart
Power eternal, deliver me from evil
Wisdom eternal, scatter the darkness of my ignorance
Might eternal, pity me
Grant that I may ever seek Thy face
with all my heart and soul and strength;
and, in thine infinite mercy,
bring me at last to Thy holy presence
where I shall behold Thy glory
and possess Thy promised joys