Leprechauns,
castles, good luck and laughter |
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An Irish Prayer
May the strength of God pilot us,
Amen St. Patrick � |
Who was St. Patrick
Around the year 400, Patrick was born in Scotland. When he was yet a boy, the Ard-Ri, that is, High King of Ireland, Niall of the Nine Hostages by name, swept across the sea and captured his village. Patrick was taken to Ireland, sold as a slave, and sent to herd sheep and swine. There in northeast Ireland, in his solitude and suffering, Patrick discovered the one true God, and, to this Creator God he pledged his life. Years later, Patrick dreamed a vision, and following that vision, he escaped and struggled home to his family. After years of religious study to become a priest and missionary, Patrick dreamed of returning to Ireland; often hearing in his dreams the voice of the Irish, "crying to thee, come hither and walk with us once more". Eventually Pope Celestine fulfilled his wish and commissioned him as bishop to preach the gospel to the Celtic people. Patrick came as the rising sun to the eastern shore of Ireland, and commenced an incredible mission across Ireland of preaching and baptizing, ordaining priests and bishops, erecting churches and establishing places of learning and worship, though such feats in primitive times were not without difficulty and danger.
Patrick, sent to preach the gospel to heathens, found that the pagan Irish had great difficulty comprehending the doctrine of the Trinity, until he gave them a natural example by holding up a shamrock to show the three leaves combined to make a single plant. The Irish understood at once, and the shamrock became the symbol of the land. Irishmen wear it in their hats on the saint's day.
March 17, 493 AD, was the death of Saint Patrick, and his universal recognition as the patron saint of Ireland, that led to the celebration of March 17 as Saint Patrick's Day. Its emphasis in Ireland is a holy religious time with appropriate praying, singing and dance. The first North American celebration was held in Boston in 1737 by the Irish Charitable Society, and later in Philadelphia and New York by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick and the Ancient Order of Hibernians.
St. Patrick's Breast-Plate
I bind to myself today�
The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity:�
I believe the Trinity in the Unity�
The Creator of the Universe.
I bind to myself today�
The virtue of the Incarnation of Christ with His Baptism,
The virtue of His crucifixion with His burial,�
The virtue of His Resurrection with His Ascension,�
The virtue of His coming on the Judgement Day.
I bind to myself today
The virtue of the love of seraphim,
In the obedience of angels,�
In the hope of resurrection unto reward,�
In prayers of Patriarchs,�
In predictions of Prophets,�
In preaching of Apostles,�
In faith of Confessors,�
In purity of holy Virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.
I bind to myself today The power of Heaven,�
The light of the sun,�
The brightness of the moon,�
The splendour of fire,�
The flashing of lightning,�
The swiftness of wind,�
The depth of sea,
The stability of earth,�
The compactness of rocks.
I bind to myself today God's Power to guide me,
God's Might to uphold me,�
God's Wisdom to teach me,�
God's Eye to watch over me,�
God's Ear to hear me,
God's Word to give me speech,�
God's Hand to guide me,�
God's Way to lie before me,�
God's Shield to shelter me,�
God's Host to secure me,�
Against the snares of demons,�
Against the seductions of vices,�
Against the lusts of nature,�
Against everyone who meditates injury to me,
Whether far or near,
Whether few or with many.
I invoke today all these virtues�
Against every hostile merciless power�
Which may assail my body and my soul,�
Against the incantations of false prophets,�
Against the black laws of heathenism,�
Against the false laws of heresy,�
Against the deceits of idolatry,�
Against the spells of women, and smiths, and druids,�
Against every knowledge that binds the soul of man.
Christ, protect me today�
Against every poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against death-wound,�
That I may receive abundant reward.
Christ with me,�
Christ before me,�
Christ behind me,�
Christ within me,�
Christ beneath me,�
Christ above me,�
Christ at my right,�
Christ at my left,
Christ in the fort,�
Christ in the chariot seat,�
Christ in the poop,�
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,�
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,�
Christ in every eye that sees me,�
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I bind to myself today�
The strong virtue of an invocation of the Trinity,�
I believe the Trinity in the Unity The Creator of the Universe.
History of The Shamrock
In the 5th century, the Ancient High Kings of Ireland were shown the mystery of the Holy Trinity by St. Patrick's use of the shamrock. The 3 leaves represent the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost as one. Most see the shamrock as a symbol of luck today. It is worn world wide on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, to show the Spirit of the Irish.
Always remember to forget
The things that made you sad.
But never forget to remember
The things that made you glad.
Always remember to forget
The friends that proved untrue.
But never forget to remember
Those that have stuck by you.
Always remember to forget
The troubles that passed away.
But never forget to remember
The blessings that come each day.
WHAT IS IT TO BE IRISH?
Written by Hal Boyle
It is to have an angel in your mouth,
turning your prose to poetry.
It is to have the gift of tongues,
to know the language of all living things.
Does an Irishman pause and turn an ear to a tree?
It is because on this day he wants to hear
what one sleepy bud says to another
as it opens its pale green hands
to the warm sun of spring.
WHAT IS IT TO BE IRISH?
Oh, on this day it is music.
Not just the cornet in the parading
high school band, but the deep, deep music
of living, the low, sad rhythms of eternity.
The Irishman hears to high song
if the turning spheres,
the dim lullaby of the worm in its cocoon.
All the world is in tune,
the tune that only he can hear.
WHAT IS IT TO BE IRISH?
It is to live the whole history of his race
between a dawn and a dawn - the long wrongs,
the bird-swift joys, the endless hurt of his ancestors
since the morning of time in a forgotten forest,
the knock-at-his-heart that is part of his religion.
WHAT IS IT TO BE IRISH?
It isn't only the realization that he is
descended from kings,
It is the realization that he is a king himself,
an empire on two feet striding in power,
a strolling continent of awe.
WHAT IS IT TO BE IRISH?
Why on Saint Patrick's Day, to be Irish
is to know more glory, adventure, magic,
victory, exultation, gratitude, and gladness
than any other man can experience in a lifetime.
WHAT IS IT TO BE IRISH?
It is to walk in complete mystic understanding
with God for twenty-four wonderful hours.
"The Quiet Man"
John Wayne's favorite John Wayne movie...and mine!
A St. Patrick's Day !!
