Prayers: Martyrs

MARTYRS

Dear God, bless your martyrs!
Let me be cleansed in their blood,
and the Blood of the Lamb.

Let me sing a tribute to these heroes
who met violent death for You,
and let me salute the holiness
of these great named and unnamed
champions of our faith who gave their lives under pagans who so sadly and mistakenly misunderstood Your gospel of love!

I pray to You now with these brave champions,
Luke hanged,
Paul beheaded,
Thomas speared,
Agnes beheaded,
Bartholomew crucified,
Ignatius eaten by lions,
Stephen stoned to death,
Peter crucified upside down,
and with Edith Stein,
Saint Teresia Benedicta, who died
at Auschwitz at the hand of the Nazis,
and with the many other martyrs
named and unnamed, known and unknown, remembered and forgotten, from historical times to the present, who have stoically accepted death rather than denounce their confidant faith and their unfailing trust
and belief in You, Our One Salvation.

I have great, happy
joy at their victory,
love in their fellowship,
devotion to their memory,
hope in their redemption,
strength from their valor,
humility in their presence,
sorrow for their suffering,
glory in their achievement,
gratitude for their example,
admiration for their courage,
confidence in their salvation,
astonishment at their bravery,
inspiration from their strength,
eagerness to meet them in heaven,
appreciation for their sacrifices,
pride in their fierce achievements,
and I have joyful laughter at their triumph over Satan and the wretched wily forces
of all hateful evil.

Let me, Lord, stand one day
humbled in their presence
in the throne room of Your Paradise,
burning taper in hand, singing with them
a paean of praise to You in joyful celebration for their achievements,
and in gratitude for their great heroic physical victories.

May their spiritual battle shields,
and the instruments of their tortures
be hung high round a Heavenly
Hall of Martyrs, as emblems of their eternal glory, and as tributes to You,
Our Commander and Our Love,
Our Lamb of Innocence and Our King of Peace!

Amen

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