The St James's Litany* (used on Ash Wednesday 2010)
Adapted in part to reflect contemporary expressions of ancient corruptions.
The Liturgy Of Penitence
(sung) Holy, holy, holy God, Holy and mighty
Holy and immortal, Have mercy on us
(said)
God the Creator,
R/ have mercy on us
God the Redeemer,
R/ have mercy on us
God the Holy Spirit,
R/ have mercy on us
Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity
R/ have mercy on us
From all evil and mischief;
from pride, vanity and hypocrisy;
from envy, hatred and malice;
and from all evil intent
R/ Good Lord deliver us
From all worldliness, and love of money;
from hardness of heart
and contempt for your word and your laws,
R/ Good Lord deliver us
From the snares of corporate greed,
from the lure of the bonus culture,
from toxic financial instruments and excessive debt
R/ Good Lord deliver us
From the spirit of bombast,
from our fascination with power,
from state-sponsored torture and from
all use of torture
R/ Good Lord deliver us
From corrupt or easily led politicians,
from the ‘its within the rules’ defence,
from the slow and subtle encroachments of deceit
R/ Good Lord deliver us
From the abuse of process and patronage,
from the attraction of public honours,
and from all blandishments
R/ Good Lord deliver us
From complacency as a Christian community,
from living within sound bites and not your truth,
from love of trivia
R/ Good Lord deliver us
In all times of sorrow;
in all times of joy;
in the hour of our death,
and at the day of judgement,
R/ Good Lord deliver us
By the mystery of your holy incarnation;
by your birth, witness and teaching;
by your baptism, fasting and temptation,
R/ Good Lord deliver us
By your agony and trial;
by your cross and passion;
and by your death and burial,
R/ Good Lord deliver us
By your mighty resurrection;
by your glorious ascension;
and by your sending of the Holy Spirit,
R/ Good Lord deliver us
Give us true repentance;
forgive us our sins of negligence and ignorance,
and our deliberate sins;
and grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit
to amend our lives according to your holy word
(sung)
Holy, holy, holy God, Holy and mighty
Holy and immortal, Have mercy on us
*The Litany, from Common Worship, adapted by Hugh Valentine