Some places had permission to celebrate St. Patrick's Feast today; others are combining it with St. Joseph's Feast tomorrow. We are celebrating their feasts early as their feasts fall in Holy Week this year.The Feast of the Annunciation which is usually celebrated on March 25 gets transferred to the Monday after the second Sunday of Easter so it will be March 31.
I thought a verse from St. Patrick's "Breastplate" would be appropriate for today's reflection. St. Joseph is the silent man so I cannot quote him! However, he is a most efficacious advocate for all of us so don't forget to ask him to intercede with Mary and Jesus when you need something.
The translation I am using for St. Patrick's breastplate is found in The Celtic Way of Prayer by Esther de Waal. This is a prayer of protection for a journey but I am only taking a few verses today.
This day I call to me
God's strength to direct me,
God's power to sustain me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's vision to light me,
God's ear to my hearing,
God's word to my speaking,
God's hand to uphold me,
God's pathway before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's legions to save me:
from snares of the demons,
from evil enticements,
from failings of nature,
from one man or many
that seek to destroy me,
anear or afar.
Be Christ this day my strong protector:
against poison and burning
against drowning and wounding,
through reward wide and plenty ...
Christ beside me, Christ before me;
Christ behind me, Christ above me;
Christ to right of me, Christ to left of me;
Christ in my lying, my sitting, my rising;
Christ in heart of all who know me,
Christ on tongue of all who meet me,
Christ in eye of all who see me,
Christ in ear of all who hear me.
No comments:
Post a Comment