Give us courage, Lord, to stand up and be counted,
to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves,
to stand up for ourselves when it is needful for us to do so.
Let us fear nothing more than we fear you,
let us love nothing more than we love you,
for thus we shall fear nothing also.
Let us have no other God before you,
whether nation or party or state or church.
Let us seek no other peace
but the peace which is yours
and make us its instruments,
opening our eyes and our ears and our hearts,
so that we should know always
what work of peace we may do for you.
- Alan Paton, from 'Instrument of Thy Peace' (Fount, 1983)