Prayer

O word of God,
I betrayed you, the Truth,
with my falsehood,
when I promised to hallow the hours that vanish away.

In overtaking me,
night does not find me undarkened by sin.
I did indeed pray,
and I thought to stand blameless at eve.

But someway and somewhere
my feet have stumbled and fallen;
for a storm-cloud swooped on me,
envious lest I be saved.

Kindle for me your light,
O Christ, restore me by your Presence.

Gregory of Nazianzus
a 4th century Christian bishop of Constantinople.