Prayer for the 4th Sunday of Lent

Having been granted to stand in Thy holy place, O Lord our God, we Thine unworthy servants, having no good works to bring before Thee, offer up to Thee a contrite heart and an humble spirit, to Thee Who hast no need of our goods; and we ask from Thy bounty, the pardon of our sins.

Hearken unto our meager supplications, O Thou Who didst not despise the Publican when he humbled himself before Thee,

but didst shew him more justified than the self-righteous Pharisee,

whose boasting and vain, empty talk, do Thou root out from our hearts;

but grant us the Publican's repentance and the humility that brings us closer to Thee,

Who liftest up the humble, and dost humiliate the exalted; and make us worthy of that bliss which is stored up for the poor in heart, in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Through the mercies of Thy Christ, with Whom Thou art blessed, together with Thine All-Holy, and Good, and Life-creating Spirit, always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

(From an ancient Ambon Prayer. Orlov, Prayer No. 57, p. 336-7).

Provided by Fr John Shaw , via email, who provides this note: "Note that in this prayer as in the one for the 1st Sunday of Lent, the theme of the Publican and Pharisee is again returned to."

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