Hymn to the Holy Spirit
Come, true light.
Come, eternal life.
Come, hidden mystery.
Come, treasure without name.
Come, unutterable thing.
Come, unknowable person.
Come, incessant joy!
Come, light unfading.
Come, hope which will save all.
Come, resurrection of the dead.
Come, O powerful one, who fills, transforms, and changes all things by your will alone.
Come, invisible one, wholly intangible and impalpable.
Come, you who rests always immovable and who, at all times, moves yourself and comes toward us…
You stand higher than the heavens. Your name so greatly desired and constantly proclaimed, none is able to say what it is. None can know how you are, of what kind or species, for that is impossible.
Come, garland never withered.
Come, you whom my wretched soul has loved and whom it loves!
Come alone to me alone.
Come, you who have separated me from all and have made me lonely in this world, and who yourself are become desire in me, who has willed that I should desire you—you, absolutely inaccessible.
Come, breath and my own life, consolation of my lowly heart.
Symeon the New Theologian from The Discourses
Symeon the New Theologian (949-1022) was a Byzantine monk and poet. He was only one of three saints to be given the title of theologian (along with John the Apostle and Gregory Nazianzus). He was regarded as one who spoke and taught from personal experience of the vision of God. Symeon frequently talked about the importance of directly experiencing the grace of God. His better known works include Hymns of Divine Love, Discourses, and On the Mystical Life.