The title of the prayer is taken from Latin for “receive.” Saint Ignatius placed it in an appendix of sorts to his Spiritual Exercises.
Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding and my entire will. All I have and call my own, You have given to me; to you, Lord, I return it. Everything is yours; do with it what you will. Give me only your love and your grace. That is enough for me.
John Foley set it in an antiphonal style. Still a favorite despite a flaw or two. Others have set the text, chorally and for congregations. I go back to the first one I heard.
It takes great faith to say that love and grace are enough. For me, I can only hope to say it more frequently as I get older. And mean it a little more sincerely tomorrow than I did today.
