Soul of Jesus by Nicholas Ansdell-Evans

recorded at St John the Evangelist, Upper Norwood, London SE19. Sung by St Stephen's Consort, with Nicholas Ansdell-Evans (conductor and organist)

Soul of Jesus, make me whole,
Pure and righteous make my soul:
Thou most stainless life divine,
Cleanse this sinful soul of mine.
Heal with love my inmost heart,
Purify my every part,
Clean and hallowed may I be:
Soul of Jesus, comfort me.

Jesu, by the wondrous power
Of thy holy Passion hour,
By thy unimagined strife
Raising us to endless life,
By the ransom thou hast paid,
By the burden on thee laid,
May thy death my succour be:
Soul of Jesus, comfort me.

By thy flesh for sinners torn,
By thy body bruised and worn,
By thy blood so freely shed
From thy wounded limbs and head,
By the holy stream that poured
From thy riven side, O Lord,
Purge my sin and set me free:
Soul of Jesus, comfort me.

Jesu, may I never be
Parted, dearest Lord, from thee:
When my spirit faints with fear
And the hour of death is near,
Call me with thy voice of love,
Set me near to thee above,
There with joy to sing to thee:
Soul of Jesus, comfort me.

Derived from verses of a poetic paraphrase (anon., 1855; in the 1906 English Hymnal no. 89) of ‘Anima Christi, sanctifica me’ (14th cent.), restructured and partially rewritten (NAE, 2024).