Sunday, March 16, 2008

St. Patrick March 17th

(As has been pointed out, the actual feast is moved this year, because this is Holy Week. But, to help Christians deal with all the green beer and other secular stuff of some day called "Saint Paddy's," here is a reminder of someone else altogether- St. Patrick...)

Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.
Gen. 12: 1,2

I bind unto myself today
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same
The Three in One and One in Three.


I bind this day to me forever
By power of faith, Christ’s incarnation;
His baptism in the Jordan river,
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd tomb,
His riding up the heavenly way,
His coming at the day of doom
I bind unto myself today.


I bind unto myself the power
Of the great love of cherubim;
The sweet ‘Well done’ in judgment hour,
The service of the seraphim,
Confessors’ faith,
Apostles’ word,
The Patriarchs’ prayers, the prophets’ scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord
And purity of virgin souls.


I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the star lit heaven,
The glorious sun’s life giving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind’s tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea
Around the old eternal rocks.


I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch,
His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide,
His shield to ward;
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility
I bind to me these holy powers.


Against all Satan’s spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart’s idolatry,
Against the wizard’s evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave,
the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.


Christ be with me,
Christ within me,
Christ behind me,
Christ before me,
Christ beside me,
Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ in quiet,
Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.


I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.
By Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

3 comments:

poetreader said...

Of course, though, this year is a bit confusing due to the date of Easter. Most calendars refuse to allow any Holy Day to intrude upon Holy Week or upon the Octave of Easter, thus tomorrow is not St. Patrick. Even Annunciation is deferred until afterwards. Though other editors may differ in detail, the Ordo we use puts the following immediately after Low Sunday this year:

Mon March 31: John Donne
Tue April 1: ANNUNCIATION
Wed April 2: St. Patrick

ed

Fr. Robert Hart said...

Ed's point is correct. But, I posted it mainly to help Christians remember that St. Patrick's day is not about Green beer, going to pubs, and pretending to be Irish, or having "gay" parades in Boston (the sort of things that go on in America every March 17th, including this year). It is the feast day of a saint- and that is what it will be, even in this strange year when it is transferred to April 2 in the west (St. Patrick is on the EO calendar too).

poetreader said...

Right on!

If people who care about neither the saint nor this holiest of weeks wish to drink green beer, carouse, and otherwise insult Ireland, they may indeed.

Thanks, Father, for posting the real stuff!

ed