Father Eternal, Ruler of Creation

Father eter­nal

Rul­er of cre­ation

Spirit of life

which moved ere form was made;

Through the thick dark­ness co­ver­ing ev­ery na­tion

Light to man’s blind­ness

O be Thou our aid:

Thy king­dom come

O Lord

Thy will be done.

Races and peo­ples

lo! we stand di­vid­ed

And shar­ing not our griefs

no joy can share;

By wars and tu­mults love is mocked

de­rid­ed

His con­quer­ing cross no king­dom wills to bear:

Thy king­dom come

O Lord

Thy will be done.

Envious of heart

blind eyed

With tongues con­found­ed

Nation by na­tion still goes un­for­giv­en;

In wrath and fear

by jea­lou­sies sur­round­ed

Building proud tow­ers

Which shall not reach to heav­en:

Thy king­dom come

O Lord

Thy will be done.

Lust of pos­sess­ion work­eth de­so­la­tions;

There is no meek­ness in the sons of earth;

Led by no star

the rul­ers of the na­tions

Still fail to bring us to the bliss­ful birth.

Thy king­dom come

O Lord

Thy will be done.

How shall we love Thee

holy

hid­den Be­ing

If we love not the world which Thou hast made?

O give us bro­ther love for bet­ter seeing

Thy Word made flesh

and in a man­ger laid:

Thy king­dom come

O Lord

Thy will be done.