St. Nicholas, protector of the poor,
Gift-giver, wonderworker, patron saint,
Renew our generosity, and pour
Afresh on us your spirit without stint,
That we, like you, might notice, might respond
And rescue those whom we’ve ignored, whose plight
Cries out for our redress: near neighbours bound
By poverty and debt, the out of sight
And out of mind, the children of the poor,
All the exploited, those whose lives are wrecked
By others’ greed, indifference, and neglect,
Those overboard and floundering for the shore.
Help us make others merry with our wealth
And joy, like you, in doing good by stealth.