It is time and culture bound, but St. Patrick's Breastplate is worth revisiting
I revisit this prayer each year. First, because there is actual historic substance behind the now-mythic figure of Padraig (Gaelic)--a slave turned missionary--and this prayer at least points in that direction. I also revisit it because March is the one time of the year I heartily acknowledge that I am a wee bit of Irish descent: my maternal great grandfather Thomas Garrett came to the US from the Emerald Isle.
A few reflections on Patrick's prayer:
1. This prayer, called St. Patrick's Breastplate, is comprehensive--even exhaustive. It mentions things I do not ordinarily think of--and I'm not sure even matter. Even so, that the prayer reminds me of these aspects of life and spirituality is instructive.
2. St. Patrick's Breastplate offers insight into how much Patrick and early Christian forebears saw nature itself as being in concert with grace. This reflects the Psalms. "All nature sings." It is spiritual imagination. Patrick's sense was that all life is bending toward or expressing Trinity at its very core.
2. St. Patrick's Breastplate offers insight into how much Patrick and early Christian forebears saw nature itself as being in concert with grace. This reflects the Psalms. "All nature sings." It is spiritual imagination. Patrick's sense was that all life is bending toward or expressing Trinity at its very core.
3. My readings about Ireland and Patrick indicate that Patrick reflected and blended earthy Celtic and Druid spirituality in his thinking, writing and action. So, in this prayer, there's this thing about "summoning." It reflects the sense of spirituality in Patrick's time and place. Patrick was Christianizing people accustomed to summoning spells, witchcraft and wizardry. In this context, Patrick seems to be confronting power with power.
4. I do not see "summoning" as the manner of prayer or nature of spirituality in the New Testament. Neither Christians nor Christian clergy/leaders are wizards. Christianity is not magic. Prayer is not incantations. Prayer, in a Christian context, is a conversation in a relationship. It is a communion. When it comes to addressing temptations and evil, the prayer Jesus taught his disciples is far more simple and direct: "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
5. Patrick's imagination envisioned Christ's perpetual, enveloping presence throughout one's day. To Patrick, one is completely surrounded, guarded and guided by Christ. Given that, I wonder why Patrick's spirituality did not go so far as to imagine prayer as something just as intimate, simple, and direct.
6. It is likely that this prayer wasn't intended to be prayer at all. It is more in the genre of a pronouncement, a preaching, a teaching tool, a liturgical recitation. We've all likely heard such public prayers or recitations. I observe, only partly in jest, that those who offer public prayers can say some pretty weird and awesome things about God and grace and life when heads are bowed, eyes are closed, and they know people are listening attentively.
Here is St. Patrick's Breastplate:
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 multitude.
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 black 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 man's 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.
Amen
Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone!
