Thursday, March 17, 2022

Before it devolved into a day to wear green, cheer on leprechauns, and drink excessively, St. Patrick’s Day was celebrated in honor of the 5th-Century “Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland”. Patrick was captured by Irish pirates at about age 16, forced into slavery in Ireland looking after animals, then escaped about six years later and became a cleric. The rest of the story is part history, part myth.

One enduring piece of St. Patrick’s life is a prayer attributed to him circa 389 to 461 AD calling upon the Holy Trinity for protection. Known as “St. Patrick’s Breastplate”, the prayer was written for divine protection before Patrick successfully converted the Irish King Leoghaire and his subjects from paganism to Christianity.

Here are the last two stanzas of this beautiful prayer to inspire your prayers today:

Christ be with me, Christ within me,

Christ behind me, Christ before me,

Christ beside me, Christ to win me,

Christ to comfort and restore me.

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,

Christ in hearts of all that love me,

Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the Name,

The strong Name of the Trinity;

By invocation of the same.

The Three in One, and One in Three,

Of Whom all nature hath creation,

Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:

Praise to the Lord of my salvation,

Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

Erin go Bragh!

Image of a mosaic of St. Patrick in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York City by Sergio Mena Ferreira via Unsplash.