Lead, Kindly Light - Prayer #5 of the 1001

Lead, Kindly Light, amidst th' encircling gloom
Lead Thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home --
Lead Thou me on!
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene -- one step enough for me.

I was not ever thus, nor pray'd that Thou
Shouldst lead me on.
I loved to choose and see my path, but now
Lead Thou me on!
I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will: remember not past years.

So long Thy power hath blest me, sure it still
Will lead me on,
O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till
The night is gone;
And with the morn those angel faces smile
Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile

John Henry Newman

Why I chose this prayer:

This prayer was first introduced to me by my confessor. In the course of discussing my faults and sins, I mentioned how I was faced with a major decision and that I was unsure of the way to go. Father quoted the line in the first stanza about 'one step enough for me' and recommended that I pray that God would show me the 'next step' to take rather than show me the whole trip. There are many times since then that I have just prayed to know what to do next, and it is wonderful to include this prayer in the list of '100 Prayers You Should Say Before You Die.'