Pause for Prayer: SAINT NICHOLAS 12/6

Today (December 6) is the feast of St. Nicholas, known as a friend of the poor and a giver of gifts.  See my post from last night for much more info on Saint Nicholas!

The red-vested cleric also enjoys the lead in Benjamin Britten's cantata, Saint Nicholas. The lyrics (by Eric Crozier) tell the life and legends of Nicholas, all of which you can read about and listen to here. (Audio of a portion of the cantata follows today's Prayer below.)

Let's Pause for Prayer...

Lord, 

while I'm shopping for gifts for family and friends,
while I'm buying and hanging the Christmas lights,

while I'm splurging on parties and open-house feasts,

while I'm giving so much to so many people

    who have, already, much more than they need:
keep me mindful of your humble birth in a manger

    and kindly Saint Nick, a faithful bishop 

            and generous friend to all in need...

 

As I spend and charge 

    and take care of my own,

help me hear the cry of the poor

    and the claim they have 

        on the bounty that's mine...

       

Amen.

 

The red-vested cleric also enjoys the lead in Benjamin Britten's cantata, Saint Nicholas. The lyrics (by Eric Crozier) tell the life and legends of Nicholas, all of which you can read about and listen to here.   Here's just a portion of Britten's Saint Nicholas.  This is Part VIII in which the chorus sings of Nicholas' piety and good works.

 

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For forty years our Nicolas,
Our Prince of men, our shepherd and
Our gentle guide, walked by our side.
We turned to him at birth and death,
In time of famine and distress,
In all our grief, to bring relief.

He led us from the valleys to
The pleasant hills of grace.
He fought to fold us in from mortal sin.
O! he was prodigal of love!
A spendthrift in devotion to us all,
And blessed as he caressed.
We keep his memory alive
In legends that our children
And their children's children treasure still.

A captive at the heathen court
Wept sorely all alone.
"O Nicolas in here, my son!
and he will bring you home!"

"Fill, fill my sack with corn," he said,
"We die from lack of food!"
and from that single sack he fed
A hungry multitude.

Three daughters of a nobleman
Were doomed to shameful sin,
Till our good Bishop ransomed them
By throwing purses in.

The gates were barred,
the black flag flew,
Three men knelt by the block
But Nicolas burst in like flame,
And stayed the axe's shock!

"O help us, good Nicolas!
Our ship is full of foam!"
He walked across the waves to them
And led them safely home.

He sat among the Bishops who
Were summoned to Nicaea:
Then rising with the wrath of God
Boxed Arius's ear.

He threatened Constantine the Great
With bell and book and ban,
Till Constantine confessed his sins
Like any common man!

Let the legends that we tell,
Praise him with our prayers as well...

We keep his memory alive
In legends that our children and
Their children's children treasure still.....    

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