[This is the ? of a series of posts featuring a saint, mystic, or writer to include some of their thoughts on prayer as well as a prayer written by or ascribed to him or her.]
Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.
All the way to heaven is heaven, for Jesus said, I am the way.
By humble and faithful prayer,
the soul acquires, with time and perseverance, every virtue.
BONUS PRAYER: Lord, take me from myself and give me to yourself.
My Nature is Fire: A Prayer by St. Catherine of Siena Prayer 12 (XXII)***
In your nature,
eternal Godhead,
I shall come to know my nature.
And what is my nature, boundless love?
It is fire,
because you are nothing but a fire of love.
And you have given humankind
a share in this nature,
for by the fire of love
you created us.
And so with all other people
and every created thing;
you made them out of love.
O ungrateful people!
What nature has your God given you?
His very own nature!
Are you not ashamed to cut yourself off from such a noble thing
through the guilt of deadly sin?
O eternal Trinity,
my sweet love!
You, light,
give us light.
You, wisdom,
give us wisdom.
You, supreme strength,
strengthen us.
Today, eternal God,
let our cloud be dissipated
so that we may perfectly know and follow your Truth
in truth,
with a free and simple heart.
God, come to our assistance!
Lord, make haste to help us!
Amen.
***Taken from The Prayers of Catherine of Siena. 2nd edition. Suzanne Noffke, OP, translator and editor. (San Jose.: Authors Choice Press, 2001) (Roman numerals indicate the number of the prayer in the critical edition of G. Cavallini).
Link to prayer: http://mcdermott.kenrickparish.com/Prayer%2012%20My%20Nature%20is%20fire%20excerpt.htm
Post book here: http://www.amazon.com/Prayers-Catherine-Siena-2nd/dp/0595180604/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322434186&sr=8-1-fkmr0
This is a faithful photographic reproduction of an original two-dimensional work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain because its copyright has expired.
HEARTS ON FIRE 
Beautiful!