Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/171

 Turn away  thy  face  from  my  sins;  and  blot  out  all  my iniquities.

A single glance  from  thy  merciful  eyes,  O my Saviour,  is  so  powerful,  that  it  would  suffice  to  raise us after  the  most  grievous  fall; look  upon  me  then, blot out  my  iniquities,  and  at  the  same  time  turn away thy  face  from  my  sins. And dost  thou  not ever act  thus,  O my  God,  seeming  to  forget  the claims of  thy  justice,  to  follow  the  dictates  of  thy mercy; but the  more  thou  dost  mercifully  seem  to forget  my  offences,  the  more  deeply  does  regret imprint them  on  my  heart.

''Create a clean  heart  in  me,  O God,  and  renew  a right spirit  within  me. ''

Alas ! my God,  to  thee  must  I fly;  since  thou  alone canst afford  a remedy  to  my  evils. In vain  hast  thou pardoned and  purified  me,  if  thou  dost  still  leave  me this  corrupt,  hard  heart,  this  heart  inclined  to  every evil, this  heart  by  which  I have  offended  thee. Give me, then,  another  heart,  create  in  me  a pure  heart, give me  thy  own  heart,  with  which  to  love  thee; renew in  me  the  spirit  of  justice  that  I may  avoid evil and  do  good; and  may  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  is the  bond  between  the  Father  and  the  Son,  ever  unite my soul  with  its  God.

''Cast me  not  away  from  thy  face, and  take  not  thy  Holy Spirit  from  me. ''

O Lord, cast  me  not  away  from  thy  face,  which, while it  constitutes  the  felicity  of  the  blessed  in Heaven,  is  also  my  joy  here  upon  earth,  though  as yet  I see  thee  only  in  a dark  manner,  through  the veils of  faith. If thou  reject  me,  where  shall  I go, poor wanderer,  far  from  thee? Where can  I find repose here  below? Allow me  then  to  rest  in  thy presence, and  to  be  as  intimately  united  to  thy  divine