Ignatius had been a soldier who wanted glory, until a cannonball shattered his leg in 1521. Stuck in bed for months with nothing to read but a life of Christ and the lives of the saints, he began to change. He knew what it meant to have your plans taken from you, and to find something better in their place.
Historical Context
Surrender isn’t passivity. It’s handing over control to someone you trust, and then getting on with what he asks. The saints who surrendered most completely were often the busiest people of their time.
The Suscipe of St Ignatius
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,
for this is enough for me.
Amen.
A Daily Prayer of Surrender
Lord, I give you this day.
I give you my plans, and I’ll hold them loosely.
I give you the people I worry about.
I give you the outcomes I can’t control.
Your will, not mine.
Amen.
When You Can’t Let Go
Lord, I keep taking this back.
I give it to you, and then I pick it up again an hour later.
Be patient with me.
I give it to you again.
Amen.
“Jesus, Take Care of It”
The Italian priest Fr Dolindo Ruotolo, who died in 1970, wrote a surrender novena whose refrain has become popular all over the world: “O Jesus, I surrender myself to you; take care of everything.” Many people pray it ten times in a row when anxiety hits.
Best Times for This Prayer
- At the start of each day.
- When facing a decision or outcome you can’t control.
- On 31 July, the feast of St Ignatius.
- At the end of a retreat.
Scripture Connection
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” — 1 Peter 5:7
Peter doesn’t say “some of your care.” He says all of it. Surrender is possible only because the one we surrender to cares about us.
Related prayers
For more on trust, see the Prayer of Abandonment, Prayer of Release and 3rd Step Prayer. For a Marian yes, Ecce Ancilla.