Oh Merciful Creator, Hear Our Prayer

Oh mer­ci­ful Cre­at­or! Hear

Our pray­er

to Thee de­vout­ly bent

Which we pour forth with ma­ny a tear

In this Thy ho­ly fast of Lent!

Thou mild­est search­er of the heart

Who know’st the weak­ness of our strength

To us for­giv­ing grace im­part

That we may seek Thy face at length.

We all have sinned

we own our shame

But spare us who our sins con­fess

And for the glo­ry of Thy name

To our sick souls af­ford re­dress.

Grant that the flesh may be so pined

By means of out­ward ab­sti­nence

As that the so­ber watch­ful mind

May fast from spots of foul of­fense!

Grant this

O bless­èd Tri­ni­ty!

Pure Son of God! to this in­cline.

That of our fast the fruit may be

A grate­ful re­com­pense for Thine!