Lenten Supplication – prayer during the first week

(Taken from The Liturgical Year by Dom Guéranger – Tuesday of the first week of Lent; originally found in the Mozarabic missal)

“Have pity on us, O most merciful Lord, and spare thy people;

For we have sinned against thee.

We all prostrate before thee, and pour out our tears: we confess unto thee our hidden sins, and beseech thee, God, to pardon us.

For we have sinned against thee.

Receive the prayers of thy priests, and abundantly grant what they ask : and have mercy on thy people, Lord.

For we have sinned against thee.

Thou art angry against us: our heinous crimes have bowed us down to the earth: and we have grown faint, because there is no hope within us.

For we have sinned against thee.

We have been made a prey to evils that we know not, and every evil has come upon us: we have called upon thee, and we have heard no reply.

For we have sinned against thee.

We all cry unto thee: we all seek thee: we are repentant, and weeping follow thee, for we have provoked thy anger.

For we have sinned against thee.

We beseech thee, we sigh out our prayers to thee: O Jesus, we prostrate before thee, and petition thee: let thy power raise us from our misery.

For we have sinned against thee.

Receive thy people’s confession: full of sorrow, we pour it out before thee: and our hearts are sad for the sins we have committed.

For we have sinned against thee.

We sue for peace; grant I us peace! Avert the scourge of war, and deliver us, we humbly beseech thee, Lord!

For we have sinned against thee.

Bow down thine ear, O most merciful God! Cleanse us from the stains of our sins, and, in thy pity, deliver us from all dangers.

Have mercy on us and spare”