These are the dreariest days, when crisp, frozen February gives way to muddy March. Skies are still gray and thousands of deciduous branches still bare, trembling in the relentless wind.
In such a tumultuous season, I have been taking great solace in reminding myself of the words of St. Patrick’s Breastplate, which must derive its theology from the passage in Colossians that addresses the supremacy of Christ. (See Colossians 1:15-23 if you’re interested.) All things are held together by Christ, and if I can be reminded of that, then I stand on solid ground to continue loving and serving in my day to day life, even as the world seems to be crumbling down.
Since we’re heading into the month that holds St. Patrick’s Day, I thought I’d share this powerful prayer attributed to the Irish saint. Contemporary scholars think it was probably written anonymously back in the 433 AD, but tradition holds that St. Patrick wrote it asking for God’s protection before he converted the Irish King Leoghaire and his subjects to Christianity.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.
I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In the predictions of prophets,
In the preaching of apostles,
In the faith of confessors,
In the innocence of holy virgins,
In the deeds of righteous men.
I arise today, through
The strength of heaven,
The light of the sun,
The radiance of the moon,
The splendor of fire,
The speed of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of the sea,
The stability of the earth,
The firmness of 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 shield to protect me,
God's host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptation of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
afar and near.
I summon today
All these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel and merciless power
that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul;
Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me an abundance of reward.
Christ 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 when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.
I’d like to invite you to sit with some of those phrases St. Patrick uses to describe Christ’s position in relation to where you are right now. For those of you who struggle with the word “Christ” or wonder about the nature of “God,” I’d invite you to substitute the word “love” for anywhere Christ appears in this meditation—after all, according to John, God is love. Perhaps that will help you think about the ways Christ has been present in your life.
In your work and family life today, how have you sensed Christ’s companionship? How has love been with you throughout this day and this season?
How has God been before you and behind you, leading your steps and preparing the way? How has love supported you from behind, encouraging you to keep going?
Imagine God’s love as the solid ground beneath your feet. How has that presence grounded you?
How has God’s love within you guided you and cared for you?
With Christ on your right and Christ on your left, envision being surrounded on all sides by God’s care. How does it feel to be sandwiched in God’s presence?
Christ is there when you lie down, when you sit down, and when you arise. Reflect on the consistency of His presence throughout every routine moment of your way. How does knowing God is with you always change the way you approach the day?
Near the end of this prayer, St. Patrick’s posture shifts from asking for assurance about Christ’s presence to asking that Christ would shine through his interactions with others—Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me. In what ways has Love been visible through you today, in your actions or your speech?
Of all the ways Christ is with us, which image resonates with you the most? Carry that picture with you into the rest of the day.
I want to close by sharing several passages of Scripture that have been encouraging me these days and that will hopefully also encourage you.
“The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3
“I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:17-19
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Blessings, friends!
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