Grant Us Breathing Space
Monday of Holy Week
Today’s Collect is, without any doubt, one of the most poignant of the whole liturgical year. Here it is in the original Latin, and in two different English translations:
Da, quaesumus, omnipotens Deus, ut, qui ex nostra infirmitate deficimus, intercedente unigeniti Filii tui passione, respiremus. Qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum.
The Marquess of Bute renders it thus:
O Almighty God,Which knowest that we be in such straits that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves, we pray Thee mercifully to relieve us for whom continually pleadeth the Suffering of Thine Only-Begotten Son. Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end.
Monsignor Knox gives this:
Fainting, thou seest us, Almighty God; so many perils about us, and we so frail! Let but the Passion of thy only-begotten Son come between, to grant us breathing space: who with thee in the bond of the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth and is God, world without end.
