Happy Saint Patrick's Day

Let me wish you all a Grand St. Patrick's Day.

No, not Patty please, but Patrick.
No, there will be no green beer here, an insult to the noble beverage of beer. Also any decent beer should be too dark to dye green. And no corned beef, an Irish-American invention, not served in Ireland. No, if I were preparing an Irish meal today, I might make some vegetable soup for a starter, then a lovely lamb stew, with some brown bread and if you insist, we will have some Guinness. Only because it is a very healthy drink, of course. Really!

Instead, let me share some of St. Patrick's, the patron of Ireland, own words, to quote part of his very famous prayer, The Lorica. It is often called St. Patrick's Breastplate, a prayer for protection that he wrote as he prepared to confront the druid priests, who of course opposed his attempts to bring Christianity to a pagan island, and as he tried to persuade the chieftains of Ireland, at Tara in March of 433 A.D., to let him preach without removing his head.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief in the Threeness,
Through the confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.

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
From snares of demons,
From temptations of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.

Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,

Christ when I sit down,

Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

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.

And also, let me share with you a tiny taste of Ireland...



...and then we will raise a pint to Saint Patrick!
Sláinte!