Almighty God, Thou who created the world and all that is therein, and
hast made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on the face of the
earth: Thou who art not far from every one of us; for in Thee we live and
move and have our being: Thou, who in times past didst suffer the
gentiles to walk in their own ways, but now commandest all men everywhere
to repent and with Thy grace doest visit their hearts.
Lift up the light of Thy countenance upon us, that Thy salvation may
everywhere abound, and the glory of Thy name extend itself unto the ends
of the earth. Look down from Thy height upon the misery of so many
nations, who yet sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, who are
ignorant of their divine origin, and lie under the cruel tyranny of
satan. The Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world,
hath not yet risen upon them. They walk in the vanity of their minds.
Their reason is clouded because of great darkness. They are estranged
from the life that is of God, through the ignorance that is in them and
through the blindness of their heart. The god of this world hath blinded
their understanding, and the common enemy of souls has taken them captive
according to his will.
Grant, merciful God, that by the misfortune of others we may realize our
own blessedness, and bewail the lamentable state of blindness, with which
Thou hast smitten the gentiles, and worthily apply the greater light so
graciously presented unto us to so much the greater holiness. O do Thou
finally suffer the light of the Gospel to rise unto those, who are yet
far from Christ, the true Sun, and who have hitherto altogether groped in
thick darkness of idolatry. Through the loving voice of the Gospel, bring
back these scattered sheep into Thy spiritual fold. Grant such shepherds,
who will not rule vigorously and harshly over the sheep, nor devour their
substance and clothe themselves with their wool; but who, in the spirit
of love and gentliness will wait upon the weak, heal the sick, bind up
the wounded, bring back the erring, seek the lost, and in walk and life
present themselves a living example to the gentiles. And inasmuch as the
word of the Gospel, concerning the love of God as revealed in Christ, is
the only means to reconcile man with God, and to gather the erring sheep
into the fold of Christ, do Thou grant, that all who go forth to proclaim
the Gospel unto the heathen, may, with divine wisdom, make known the word
of reconciliation, with boldness overcome all hinderances, and
disregarding all selfish motives in the discharge of so holy an office,
may seek nought but the glory of Thy name, and the extension of the
kingdom of heaven. Grant, that they themselves may plainly know and
acknowledge the mystery of the cross, as the central point of Evangelical
doctrine, may not pretend to know anything among the gentiles, save
Christ Jesus and Him crucified, and worthily extol Him to others as the
only hope of glory and fountain of salvation, through our Lord Jesus
Christ, the great Shepherd and Bishop of our souls. Amen.