Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Wow, have we been lazy

Not really, just busy. Gloria is running her own business, and Stephanie, Ines and I are juggling school (teaching) and college (studying), though for Stephanie the former is full-time and the latter part time, whereas Ines and I have the inverse. Anyway, I just remembered this morning what an awesome morning prayer St. Patrick wrote, and I thought I'd post it and maybe start using it. You can't have a really bad day after praying the "Deer's cry".

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the 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 Cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In prayers of patriarchs,
In predictions of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocence of holy virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.
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.
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 host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptations of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.
I summon today all these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel 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 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.

8 comments:

Agnes Regina said...

The Deer's Cry? I didn't know that was another name for St Patrick's Breastplate; I thought it was an instrumental piece.

Anywho, I love it.

__ said...

¿Y si uno no es un ciervo, quĂ©?

The Dragon Lady said...

TIO AL-VA-RO!!!!! no te hagas el tonto porque se supone que no sos..... se supone .

Hans Georg Lundahl said...

Deers cry - title maybe explained by the psalm verse "as the deer longeth for water and the watchman for the morning"

Hans Georg Lundahl said...

Anyway, I linked to this blogpost as we are now approaching St Patrick's day.

Agnes Regina said...

A long belated response which I always meant to write: the story is that when St Patrick's monks were on the way to visit the High King, the Druids laid an ambush for them, but as St Patrick and his men were singing this prayer on the way, the Druids only saw a flock of deer pass by. Hence "the Deer's Cry."

Hans Georg Lundahl said...

Thank you!

Hans Georg Lundahl said...

And happy St. Patrick's Day!