I am thine, Lord, and am to belong to none but to thee.
My soul is thine, and ought not to live but by thee;
my will is thine, and ought not to love but for thee;
my love is thine, and is only to tend to thee.
I am to love thee as my First Cause,
since I have my being from thee.
I am to love thee as my end and center,
since I am for thee.
I am to love thee more than my own being,
since even my being does subsist by thee.
I am to love thee more than myself,
since I am wholly thine and in thee.
St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622) is a French Catholic saint, revered for his practical teaching on the sanctification of daily life. This passage is published in Easwaran’s spiritual anthology, “God Makes the Rivers to Flow.” The audio recording is by Eknath Easwaran’s wife, Christine Easwaran.