The 4th century Greek Father of the Church, St. Gregnazianus, has many poetic prayers addressed to Jesus Christ.

Sometimes the language he uses is startling, and I'd like for us to hear an excerpt from one of his poems,

it's called the De Rebus Suis, concerning his own affairs.

And in this excerpt, we're going to hear St. Gregory address

his readers about Jesus, whom he calls the Word, and then Gregory turns directly in prayer

to Christ. Father Dominic, there's the text. Mortals learn their lesson by the good and bad, the ups and downs of living,

even though our crass minds fail to see their purpose for the most part,

with the word, all things are for the best.

Hither and thither, all wisely, you bend the rudder of the universe, and with you as helmsman we traverse the rough swell of this uncertain life with all its woeful reefs.

And so, afflicted though I be, oppressed by all kinds of troubles, I fall to my knees before you.

Send me Lazarus, so that he may quickly refresh with his moistened finger my tongue that

is parched in the flame. May I be no longer detained in the abyss? Let not Abraham shut out from

his ample bosom the rich man in his agony. Support me with your mighty hand. Provide relief from woe. Let all the wonders and the mighty

portents be displayed in my regard. Say the word, as you did formally, and let the issue of blood be

straightaway dried. Say the word, and let the legion of devils madden the herd of swine so that

it rush into the sea and retire from me.

Drive out the miserable leprosy.

Give light to eyes that are blind and hearing to deaf ears.

Make the withered hands stretch out.

Loose the knot of the tongue.

Make firm the tottering gait of the feet.

Fill me with a morsel of bread calm the raging

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