Wake Up Call
I arise today
Through God's strength to direct me,
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak to me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's hosts to save me from snares of devils.
From temptation of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in a multitude.
—Attributed to St. Patrick, from "The Deer's Cry" (St. Patrick's Breastplate), translated by Kuno Meyer
God's Heart
There is a mother's heart in the heart of God. And 'tis his delight to break the bread of love and truth for his children.
—From a Hebridean mother, quoted in Celtic Blessings and Prayers, edited by Brendan O'Malley
Scary Things in the Night
From ghoulies and ghosties and long leggety beasties
And things that go bump
in the night,
Good Lord, deliver us!
—From Favourite Prayers, compiled by Deborah Cassidi
Spare Us the Fall
May the roof above
never fall in,
May we below
never fall out.
—An Irish grace quoted in Favourite Prayers, compiled by Deborah Cassidi
Another Golden Rule
Blessed is he who does good to others and desires not that others should do good to him.
—Brother Giles, The Little Flowers of St. Francis
My Fortress
The Sacred Three
My fortress be
Encircling me
Come and be round
My hearth and my home.
—Celtic prayer quoted in John O'Donohue, Anam Cara
Deep Knee Bends
I bend the knee in the eye of the Father who created me,
in the eye of the Son
who purchased me,
in the eye of the Spirit
who cleansed me.
In love and affection,
in wisdom and grace,
…
each shade and life,
each day and night
I bend the knee
in the world of the Three.
—From Carmina Gadelica
Big Sea, Little Boat
Dear God, be good to me;
The sea is so wide,
And my boat is so small.
—Breton fisherman's prayer, quoted in Celtic Blessings and Prayers, edited by Brendan O'Malley
A Familiar Stranger
I saw a stranger today.
I put food for him
in the eating-place
And drink
in the drinking-place
And music
in the listening-place.
In the Holy name
of the Trinity
He blessed myself
and my family.
And the lark said in her warble
Often, often, often
Goes Christ
in the stranger's guise.
O, oft and oft and oft,
Goes Christ
in the stranger's guise.
—Celtic Rune of Hospitality, quoted in Celtic Blessings and Prayers, edited by Brendan O'Malley
All that God created
There is no plant
in the ground
But is full of his virtue.
There is no form in the strand
But is full of his blessing.
—From Carmina Gadelica
Till We Meet Again
The Father, the Son,
the Holy Spirit,
Save you, and shield you,
and tend you,
Till I or mine shall meet
you again.
—From Carmina Gadelica
Lee Knapp is an artist from Richmond, Virginia. This essay won third place in CT's "Faith and Consumerism" contest, funded by the Global Consumption project of Pew Charitable Trusts, Inc.
Copyright © 1999 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.
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