March 17, 2005
prayers
I though I would share one final St Patrick's Day post. I wanted to offer up some Celtic prayers for your use. It is a Thursday morning rite. Enjoy.
Silence
Be still
and aware of God's presence
within and all around
Opening Prayer
O loving Christ
Who died upon the tree
Each day and each night
I remember your love.
In my lying down
And in my rising up
In life and in death
You are my health and my peace.
Each day and each night
I remember your forgiveness
Bestowed on me so gently and generously
Each day and each night
May I be fuller in love to you.
Psalm 54
Save me, O God, by your name;*
in your might, defend my cause.
Hear my prayer, O God;*
give ear to the words of my mouth.
For the arrogant have risen up against me,
and the ruthless have sought my life,*
those who have no regard for God.
Behold, God is my helper;*
it is the Lord who sustains my life.
Render evil to those who spy on me;*
in your faithfulness, destroy them.
I will offer you a freewill sacrifice*
and praise your name, O Lord, for it is good.
For you have rescued me from every trouble,*
and my eye has seen the ruin of my foes.Exodus 10:1-11
Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Go to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his officials, in order that I may show these signs of mine among them, and that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I have made fools of the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them so that you may know that I am the LORD.'So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh, and said to him, 'Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, "How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, so that they may worship me. For if you refuse to let my people go, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country. They shall cover the surface of the land, so that no one will be able to see the land. They shall devour the last remnant left you after the hail, and they shall devour every tree of yours that grows in the field. They shall fill your houses, and the houses of all your officials and of all the Egyptians something that neither your parents nor your grandparents have seen, from the day they came on earth to this day." ' Then he turned and went out from Pharaoh.
Pharaoh's officials said to him, 'How long shall this fellow be a snare to us? Let the people go, so that they may worship the LORD their God; do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?' So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh, and he said to them, 'Go, worship the LORD your God! But which ones are to go?' Moses said, 'We will go with our young and our old; we will go with our sons and daughters and with our flocks and herds, because we have the LORD's festival to celebrate.' He said to them, 'The LORD indeed will be with you, if ever I let your little ones go with you! Plainly you have some evil purpose in mind. No, never! Your men may go and worship the LORD, for that is what you are asking.' And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.
Intercessions
Life be in my speech
Truth in what I say.
The love Christ Jesus gave
Be filling every heart for me.
The love Christ Jesus gave
Be filling me for everyone.
silence
Almighty God,
who in your providence chose your servant Patrick
to be the apostle of the Irish people:
keep alive in us the fire of the faith he kindled
and strengthen us in our pilgrimage
towards the light of everlasting life;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
Here a hymn may be sung. St Patrick's Breastplate is not a bad idea. Be Thou My Vision is also perfectly appropriate.
Closing Prayer
Bless to me O God
The earth beneath my feet.
Bless to me O God
The path on which I go.
Bless to me O God
The people whom I meet.
O God of all gods
bless to me my life.
This is a combination of the Thursday morning rite from Celtic Prayers from Iona and the daily prayers from www.oremus.org. Both are great resources.
