Friday, December 26, 2008

A Prayer For St. Stephen's Day...

...a day to remember in prayer the poor and weak of the world and the persecuted Church everywhere:

Fear not, O little flock, the foe

Who madly seeks your overthrow,

Dread not his rage and power:

What though your courage sometimes faints,

His seeming triumph o'er God's saints

Lasts but one little hour.

Be of good cheer; your cause belongs

To Him who can avenge your wrongs,

Leave it to Him our Lord.

Though hidden yet from all our eyes,

He sees the Gideon who shall rise

To save us, and His word.

As true as God's own word is true,

Nor earth nor hell with all their crew

Against us shall prevail.

A jest and by-word are they grown;

God is with us, we are His own,

Our victory cannot fail.


-- Jonann Altenburg, tr. Catherine Winkworth

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