Our Morning Offering – 26 December – Feast of St Stephen the ProtoMartyr and The Second Day in the Christmas Octave
Help us, Holy Stephen
Breviary Prayer/Hymn
for the Feast of St Stephen
Jesus the Christ-Child brought new life to all men
And in His Manhood, conquered death and evil,
Risen, resplendent, in the Father’s glory
He reigns forever.
Stephen the Deacon was the first to follow
Christ’s great example, done to death by sinners,
Though all his actions and his words were prompted
By the Lord’s Spirit.
Enemies’ anger destined him to perish,
Stoned by his hearers, victim of their fury,
Yet like his Saviour, in his dying moments
Pleading their pardon.
Witness to Jesus, help us, holy Stephen,
Mourning and contrite to attain the Kingdom,
Gain us the graces which we need to bring us
Safely to heaven.
Of the same nature as the blessed martyrs,
Let us sing praises to our God Almighty,
Who honoured Stephen with a martyr’s glory,
First among thousands.
Amen
