Prayer of Self-Dedication to Jesus Christ

Prayer of Self-Dedication

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all that I have and possess.

You have given all to me; to You, Lord, I return it. All is Yours; dispose of it wholly according to Your will.

Give me only Your love and Your grace— that is enough for me. Amen.

A Prayer of Self-Dedication to Jesus Christ is a spiritual exercise where an individual offers their entire being—mind, body, and will—to Jesus Christ, seeking to be guided by divine will and grace. These prayers often express a desire for complete surrender and a commitment to live according to Christian teachings.

One well-known "Prayer of Self-Dedication to Jesus Christ" is attributed to Saint Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556)  This prayer begins with the lines, "Lord Jesus Christ, take all my freedom, my memory, my understanding, and my will. All that I have and cherish you have given me. I surrender it all to be guided by your will. Your grace and your love are wealth enough for me. Give me these, Lord Jesus, and I ask for nothing more. Amen." This particular prayer emphasizes the relinquishment of personal autonomy and possessions to God's guidance, valuing divine grace and love above all else.

Another prayer of dedication, though not explicitly titled "Self-Dedication to Jesus Christ" in all contexts, similarly expresses a profound offering of oneself. It states, "Lord Jesus, I give you my hands to do your work. I give you my feet to go your way. I give you my tongue to speak your words. I give you my mind that you may think in me. I give you my spirit that you may pray in me. Above all, I give you my heart that you may love in me your Father and all mankind. I give you my whole self that you may grow in me, so that it is you, Lord Jesus, who live and work and pray in me. Amen." This prayer focuses on dedicating specific faculties of the body and mind to Christ's service, aiming for a complete indwelling of Christ within the individual.

Such prayers are common in Catholic devotion and are often used as a means of deepening one's spiritual life and commitment to faith. They reflect a core Christian belief in surrendering to God's will and seeking to live a life that glorifies Him.