As the ‘Christian’ world celebrates St. Patrick’s day with green beer, corned beef, leprechauns and Irish jigs, I call to mind a prayer I discovered over a decade ago in a Celtic prayer book.  The prayer is known as St. Patrick’s breastplate.  While the full version is considerably longer, I offer you this much as presented in that old prayer book I still have on my bookcase.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of Cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,… 

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock.

Mitakuye Oyasin

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  1. Thanks for sharing this gem/prayer! YES! This prayer and msny others, put into musical rendition are heart warming and challenging.
    We are all with the Irish, celebrsting, this weekend, the life and Christian posterity of this grat man. Tomorrow, we’ll join with our Italian friends as they do it big/time, marking St.Joseph’s feast. 🙂 ; God bless you and your loved ones, Sr. Michelle
    Mitakuye Oyasin ★♥

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  2. For a long time I kept a copy of a prayer by St. Patrick as a source of inspiration. He has been a model for me in regards to spiritual movement. He is largely considered the one responsible for the evangelizing of Europe. One of the things he emphasized in his ministry was the preparation of spiritual leaders. For a spiritual movement to expand and deepen, we have to think constantly of spiritual leaders and their preparation and support.

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