Lorica of St. Patrick

Lorica of Saint Patrick
(also known as "St. Patrick's Breastplate")

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

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth and His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection and His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In preachings of the apostles,
In faiths of confessors,
In innocence of virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.

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 hosts to save me
From snares of the devil,
From temptations of vices,
From every one who desires me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a mulitude.

I summon today all these powers between me and evil,
Against every cruel merciless power that opposes my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against dark laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts human body and soul.
Christ shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that reward may come to me in abundance.

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

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

--St. Patrick (ca. 377)

SWS: Prayer of Joy

Dear Friends,
In my October 22, 2009 blog entry, I shared a prayer by Quaker pastor, missionary, and author John Somervell Hoyland. Here's another prayer by Hoyland, expressing joy in the presence of God.

O Thou, who art, beyond all human telling,
Beautiful, adorable, and lovely,
Thou who revivest our souls,
Thou who fillest our lives with joy,
Thou whose touch on our hearts is bliss, deathless and ineffable,
Thou at whose word of love monotony and despair flee away,
Thou who makest the desert a garden with the sweet fragrance of Thy presence,
Thou with whom to live, in humble poverty and weakness,
Is the splendor of eternal life,
Give us the light and glory and joy
Of Thy perfect friendship - Amen.

- John Somervell Hoyland (1887-1857)

Today's Daily Word: Forgivness.

This is excellent.

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Today's Daily Word
Saturday, February 13, 2010

Forgive

I walk a new path of love and forgiveness.

At any time, I may make a fresh start, choose a new path and forgive myself and others for past mistakes. Forgiveness is the key to freedom. I dismiss any thoughts of disapproval and affirm my power to forgive. Whatever choices I made in the past have helped forge my character. My path, no matter how crooked, was the right path for me. I am confident that even greater good is being made manifest now.

I leave behind old habits and embrace new thoughts and actions that lead to wholeness and freedom. The pure, uplifting joy of prayer keeps me energized. I choose health. I choose love. I choose forgiveness. I feel light, loving and free.

Keep straight the path of your feet, and all your ways will be sure.--Proverbs 4:26

Daily Word: Happiness of Life

Dear Friends,
The devotion posted below was the Daily Word for December 30, 2009. What a powerful message. I don't know about you, but these are words that I need to hear over and over again.
Blessings,
Clayton
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Happiness

With God's love in my heart, I fully experience the happiness of life.
Happiness is a state of heart and mind. It is mine to choose. When I rise each morning, I think positively. I begin my day with a smile on my face and a song in my heart that says "Thank You, God, for another perfect day."

I spread happiness in my interactions with others. Through a simple smile and a cheerful outlook, I lift the spirits of family and friends. I look on the light side of life, realizing that goodness and love can be found every moment of every day.

My heart and mind are open to the inspiration of God as the source of my love and enthusiasm for life. I live the peace and happiness God created me to experience.

Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise.--Psalm 84:4

Daily Word: Let Go & Let God

The following was the Daily Word devotional for December 30, 2009. What a valuable lesson as we begin another year. May we all "let go and enjoy the adventure."
Blessings,
Clayton

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Let Go, Let God

I let go and let God lead the way.

Winter sports offer an opportunity for fun and adventure. They also illustrate how one might face life's challenges. Observe a group of beginning skiers and their expressions as they ride the lift up the slope. Some may look apprehensive, others excited. Some may be fearful, anticipating a fall. Others are joyous and free, ready to face the slope with confidence.

Which of these two groups of skiers best describes me at this moment? Do I anticipate what might go wrong, or do I greet each situation with expectation of good? Do I let go and let God? On this day, I let go of any fear that may be holding me back. I let go, let God and enjoy the adventure!

You have made me stride freely, and my feet do not slip.--2 Samuel 22:37

A Questionnaire

Dear Friends,
I was listening to the Dianne Rehm Show on NPR this morning, and they were playing a rebroadcast from the November 30, 2009 episode. In this episode, she was interviewing author, poet, and farmer Wendell Berry. Berry was discussing his latest collection of poetry entitled Leavings. Along with other excerpts from this collection, Berry read the following poem that I think is some good food for thought.

Questionnaire

1. How much poison are you willing to eat for the success of the free market and global trade? Please name your preferred poisons.

2. For the sake of goodness, how much evil are you willing to do? Fill in the following blanks with the names of your favorite evils and acts of hatred.

3. What sacrifices are you prepared to make for culture and civilization? Please list the monuments, shrines, and works of art you would most willingly destroy.

4. In the name of patriotism and the flag, how much of our beloved land are you willing to desecrate? List in the following spaces the mountains, rivers, towns, farms you could most readily do without.

5. State briefly the ideas, ideals, or hopes, the energy sources, the kinds of security, for which you would kill a child. Name, please, the children whom you would be willing to kill.

--Wendell Berry

December 2007: Worth Another Look

Dear Friends,
Below is the pastor's column I wrote for the December 2007 issue of the Monroe City / Mt. Vernon United Methodist Churches newsletter. Some of the details I list are out of date, of course. But as I reread the column, I realized that the message is still true for today. I hope you find this meaningful.
Blessings,
Clayton Peak

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From Your Pastor…

December can be a rather dreary and gloomy month. The days are short, and they keep getting shorter until after the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. According to the United States Naval Observatory, the amount of time from sunrise to sunset in the Monroe City area on December 22 this year will be only 9 hours and 21 minutes. Talk about a short, gloomy day!

The weather can also make December a dreary month. According to the “Heartland” edition of the 2007 Old Farmer’s Almanac, the average temperature in our region of the country for December 2007 will be 29º which is 1º below “normal”. We can also expect 1 inch of precipitation (slightly below normal), along with a few snow showers and some freezing rain.

Yes—with cold weather and short days, December in Missouri can be downright miserable, if not depressing. Maybe that’s one of the reasons why we make such a big celebration out of Christmas. We need something to keep the gloomy, cold, and dark days from getting us down. We need something to cheer us up and brighten our spirits.

We go to great lengths to find that “something” which will cure the December blues. We decorate our houses and places of business with trees, strings of lights, garlands, poinsettias, manger scenes, and all sorts of ornaments. We attend parades, concerts, school programs, church services, family gatherings, and parties. We may even find ourselves hosting one or more of these events. We send greeting cards, often writing a letter highlighting what we have done during the past year. We go shopping to find just the right presents for friends and relatives. We sing special songs that we don’t sing any other time of the year. We bake delightful treats like cookies, nut breads, and fruitcake. We may drink eggnog, wassail and other beverages that we only drink during the “Holiday Season.”

Now, don’t get me wrong here. I am not a Scrooge. Even though the season is often busy and hectic, I actually look forward to many of our Christmas traditions. I enjoy singing Christmas carols, receiving Christmas cards, eating cookies and pies, drinking eggnog, going shopping, getting presents, attending programs and concerts, and even putting up decorations (although I don’t really have an eye for decorating). Not only do such activities help brighten the otherwise dull and gloomy month of December, but they also spark many fond memories.

Furthermore, unlike some folks, I don’t really decry the commercialism of Christmas. I understand that for many people their very livelihood is dependent upon Christmas sales. For high school and college students, a temporary job over Winter break can be a great way to earn money for school and other expenses. Many charities and services agencies count on the year-end donations that people make in the “Spirit of the Season.”

Here is what I find most meaningful about this time of the year. Christmas typically falls 3 days after the Winter Solstice. Remember the 9 hours and 21 minutes I mentioned earlier? On Christmas Day it will be 9 hours and 23 minutes—2 minutes longer. And as December moves into January, the amount of daylight will continue to increase. The Gospel of John tells us that in Christ “was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it” (John 1:4-5). So doesn’t it seem fitting that as the days are starting to get longer, we celebrate the birth of the One who is the light of the world?

This year don’t let the short, cold days of December get you down. Instead, let’s have a big celebration and remember the true reason for the season—the birth of Jesus the Messiah who came to bring light and warmth to our lives. Merry Christmas!