Today we celebrated St Patrick’s Day at work. Somewhat early. Not sure why we couldn’t celebrate it on the actual day. Nonetheless, I dutifully donned my green fascinator and wrote my limerick and enjoyed the festivities of the day. In the midst of the pre St Patrick day celebrations though, I was reminded that the origin of this rather green celebration, was to remember a man devoted to God.
So it seems appropriate that today, on the pre celebration of St Patrick’s Day that we read part of his 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 judgement of Doom.
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.
One summer a young boy once went with his parents to Europe. Part of their tour was visiting the great old cathedrals. As he would visit cathedral after cathedral he saw the massive stained glass portraits of the disciples and of other saints. Upon returning home he told his Sunday School teacher about the great churches of Europe and the glass portraits of the saints. His teacher asked him, “What is a saint?” As his mind went back to those massive beautiful stained glass windows, he said, “A saint is a man the light shines through.”
St Patrick, is one who certainly let the light and love of God shine through. And I can only hope and pray that my life too points to and reveals Jesus.
Blue Skies & Lollipops 