Verses two and three are after Acts 6 and 7. Verse three is also inspired by Ephesians 6 and the ‘whole armour of God.’
Alexander Crawford
Tune: St Catherine’s Court (NEH 208) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2VljsgB7JE
For Fr Sebastian Hamilton and the people of the parish of St Stephen, Tivoli
With joy let us honour that blest martyr, Stephen,
Whose life was devoted to serving his Lord;
In death, the great love of his Saviour proclaiming,
Through torment and suffering, received his reward.
So filled with the faith, and the pow’r of the Spirit,
He heeded the calling to serve those in need;
With wisdom and grace, told the good news of Jesus,
Performing great wonders in word and in deed.
Great Stephen, the first in the ranks of the martyrs,
Sustained by the sight of his Saviour above;
He fought, not with violence, but prayer for his killers,
His sword was the Spirit, his armour was love.
With joy then we follow that blest martyr, Stephen,
In lives of devotion to serving our Lord;
Proclaiming the love and the truth of our Saviour,
Good news for the suffering, the lost, and the poor.
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