November 15 1999

ARTICLE TOOLS

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Wake Up Call
I arise today
Through God's strength to direct me,
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak to 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 devils.

From temptation of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in a multitude.

—Attributed to St. Patrick, from "The Deer's Cry" (St. Patrick's Breastplate), translated by Kuno Meyer

God's Heart
There is a mother's heart in the heart of God. And 'tis his delight to break the bread of love and truth for his children.

—From a Hebridean mother, quoted in Celtic Blessings and Prayers, edited by Brendan O'Malley

Scary Things in the Night
From ghoulies and ghosties and long leggety beasties

And things that go bump
in the night,

Good Lord, deliver us!

—From Favourite Prayers, compiled by Deborah Cassidi

Spare Us the Fall
May the roof above
never fall in,

May we below
never fall out.

—An Irish grace quoted in Favourite Prayers, compiled by Deborah Cassidi

Another Golden Rule
Blessed is he who does good to others and desires not that others should do good to him.

—Brother Giles, The Little Flowers of St. Francis

My Fortress
The Sacred Three
My fortress be
Encircling me
Come and be round
My hearth and my home.

—Celtic prayer quoted in John O'Donohue, Anam Cara

Deep Knee Bends
I bend the knee in the eye of the Father who created me,
in the eye of the Son
who purchased me,
in the eye of the Spirit
who cleansed me.

In love and affection,
in wisdom and grace,
…
each shade and life,
each day and night

I bend the knee in the world of the ...