A prayer written by Archbishop Polding

A prayer of Archbishop John Bede Polding concluding his Lenten Pastoral Letter for the year 1851:

O Saviour of the World! 
Sanctify our fast by infusing into our souls a hatred of sin, 
and a sincere desire to amend our lives.  
Alas, what is our fast when compared with thine - 
what our sufferings when we consider what thou hast suffered, 
what we ought to suffer in atonement for our crimes!  

Be pleased to sanctify our fast by uniting it to thine.  
May we endeavour to supply our immeasurable deficiencies 
by a strict vigilance over our senses, by an abstinence from lawful enjoyments, 
by assiduity and fervour in prayer.  

And if there be those amongst us, to whom thou foreseest, 
this Lent will be the last season of Grace granted in thy goodness to them; 
be pleased to touch their hearts with thy most powerful graces, 
that they may be converted and live.  

Grant that we may also pass this holy time 
that with joyful hearts we may worthily receive, 
in commemoration of thy Glorious Resurrection, 
the Sacrament of thy love and our pledge of life everlasting.

The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
the love of the Father, 
and the sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit be with you all.  Amen.

Archbishop Polding photographed in Melbourne, 1869.
Image : The State Library of Victoria
Digitally enhanced by the Saint Bede Studio

AMDG

NOTES

The Eye of Faith was printed by the Lowden Publishing Co., Kilmore Victoria in 1977.  The editors were Gregory Haines, Sister Mary Gregory Foster and Frank Brophy.  Special contribution to the volume were made by Professor Timothy Suttor and James Cardinal Freeman.