Bounteous Spirit, Ever Shedding

Bounteous Spirit, ever shedding

Life the world to fill!

Swarms the fruitful globe o'erspreading,

Shoals their ocean pathway threading,

Own Thy quickening thrill:

Author of each creature's birth,

Life of life beneath the earth,

Everywhere, O Spirit blest,

Thou art motion, Thou art rest.

Come, Creator! grace bestowing-

All Thy sevenfold dower!

Come, Thy peace and bounty strowing,

Earth's Renewer! Thine the sowing

Thine the gladdening shower.

Comforter! what joy Thou art

To the blest and faithful heart;

But to man's primeval foe

Uttermost despair and woe.

O'er the waters of creation

Moved Thy wings divine;

When the world, to animation

Waking 'neath Thy visitation,

Teemed with powers benign:

Thou didst man to being call

Didst restore him from his fall;

Pouring, like the latter rain,

Grace to quicken him again.

Thine the Gospel voices, crying

As with trumpet sound;

Till the world, in darkness lying,

Rose from deathly sleep, descrying

Heavenly light around.

Man, to reach that prize revealed,

Armed with Thee as with a shield,

Nerved and girt his fight to win,

Quells the prince of death and sin.

Lowliest homage now before Thee

Let the ransomed pay;

For Thy wondrous gifts adore Thee,

By Thy holiness implore Thee,

While in love they pray:

Holy! Holy! we repeat,

Kneeling at Thy mercy seat;

There unbosom every woe,

Groanings Thou alone canst know.

Fount of grace for every nation,

Refuge of the soul!

Strengthen Thou each new creation,

With the waters of salvation

Make the guilty whole:

Rule on earth the powers that be;

Give us priests inspired of Thee;

Through Thy holy Church increase

Purest unity and peace.

Purge and sanctify us wholly

From the leaven of ill;

Save from Satan's grasp unholy;

To a living faith and lowly

Mould the upright will;

Till the olden zeal return,

And with mutual love we burn;

Till in peace, no more to roam,

All the flock be gathered home.