Behold,
the DESIRE+ of All Nations
shall come,
O Come,
Let us adore HIM+ !
And lo, the angel of The LORD
came upon them,
and the glory of The LORD shone
round about them;
and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them,
Fear not: for, behold, I bring you
Good Tidings of great joy,
which shall be to all people.
And this shall be a sign unto you;
Ye shall find the BABE+ wrapped
in swaddling clothes,
lying in a manger.
And suddenly, there was with the angel,
a multitude of the Heavenly Host,
praising GOD, and saying,
Glory to GOD in the Highest,
and on earth
peace,
good will toward men.
Luke 2: 9-14
Meditation and Collect
Grant , O LORD, that , in all our sufferings here upon earth for the testimony of Thy Truth, we may learn to steadfastly look up to Heaven and by faith behold the glory that shall be revealed.
May we be so filled with Thy HOLY SPIRIT that we may learn to love and bless our persecuotrs by the example of KING+ JESUS, Our EMMANUEL+.
We remember Thy first Martyr Saint Stephen, who, lifting his eyes to Heaven, was strengthened to endure unto the end.
We recall that Stephen prayed for his murderers to THEE+, O blessed JESUS, WHO+ standing at the right hand of GOD, is able and willing to succour all those who suffer for THEE+, our only Divine Mediator and Advocate. Amen
