All throughout this week, I have been asked what my St. Patrick’s Day plans are. In America, the cultural phenomena surrounding this day has become completely devoid of honoring Irish traditions. When I have been asked my plans for the day, my answer has been the same: Hold gratitude and honor my ancestors.
My plans for the day go against the grain of a culture that uses St. Patrick’s Day as an excuse to engage in binge alcohol consumption. As someone who is sober curious regarding alcohol, having this type of celebration is of no interest to me. With my ancestors predominantly coming from Ireland, I am interested in honoring them and celebrating to uncover a further understanding of who I am.
Earlier this week, I was sitting in meditation wondering how to best do this when I received a synchronistic email from my friend James Tunney. I have interviewed James many times on my podcast, which I would encourage you to check out if you have not done so. James is an Irish mystic, author, and painter. In this email he passed along a prayer attributed to St. Patrick himself, who was a mystical figure in his own right.
This prayer touched my heart and brought deep feelings of reverence, gratitude, and pride in my ancestry. Here on St. Patrick’s Day, I share it with you in loving reverence as a reminder of the beauty in our interconnected nature.
St. Patrick’s Prayer
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.
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The Saintly Slave on Slemish who Sent the Serpents Slithering Seawards... ☘️🐍🪱