I Arise Today...

While “researching” for another post (Gee….I feel a bit silly when I refer to my web jaunts as “research”), I came upon The Breastplate of St. Patrick. It occurred to me that parts of it make a wonderful prayer for the start of the day….and I am simply going to copy and paste those excerpts below. Time to get ready for work….ugh….and brave another snowy day….double ugh. If you want to read a bit about St. Patrick there are links on this prayer site I found this morning….doing “research” :)

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 secure me:
against snares of devils, against temptations of vices,
against inclinations of nature, against everyone who
shall wish me ill, afar and anear, alone and in a crowd.

I summon today all these powers between me (and these evils):
against every cruel and merciless power that may oppose
my body and my soul,
against incantations of false prophets,
against black laws of heathenry,
against false laws of heretics, against craft of idolatry,
against spells of women [any witch] and smiths and wizards,
against every knowledge that endangers man's body and soul.
Christ to protect me today
against poison, against burning, against drowning,
against wounding, so that there may come abundance of reward.