march 17

The Prayer of St. Patrick
I arise today Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,Splendor of fire,Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind, Depth of the sea, Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock. I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me;God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me, God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me, God's hosts to save meAfar and anear,
Alone or in a mulitude.Christ shield me todayAgainst woundingChrist with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,Christ in the ear that hears me.
I arise today Through the mighty strength Of the Lord of creation.

Traditional Christian Prayer
Saint Patrick is a Person after my own heart. I read his autobiographical account of his kidnapping and slavery as a very young man, an age our culture would still call an adolescent. He escaped his captors and yet returned to the land of his slavery to preach to the pagans the salvation of faith in Christ. The depths of poverty and slavery and the heights of the great leader, preacher Bishop...hero. It is a story of salvation and redemption on earth. A soul who suffered greatly but focused not on his suffering but the needs and serving others. A greater gift there is none in the truest sense he was ready and did give his life over to the salvation of others. It is an amazing story. The shamrock, the story of the Trinity carries a beauty and simplicity in a complex theology made real through the eyes and voice of faith and a heart guided by the Spirit.