A Saint Patrick's Day Prayer

I have done a lot of ancestry work on my family, and can trace my Great (times 4) Grandparents coming to America from Ireland. Reardon is an Irish name, originally O’Riordan. While the name is 100% Irish, Ancestry DNA says I am actually more Viking than Irish, but our family still celebrates St. Patricks Day EVERY YEAR!

While I am not really sure if Saint Patrick ran all the snakes off the Island, I love his story, and have always treasured his prayer.

In our current state of panic, worry, and speculation due to the outbreak of the COVID-19, I thought St. Patrick’s Prayer was incredibly relevant for our lives today. I would invite you to take some time to read through his prayer.

Pray it over your life.

Pray it over your family.

Pray it over your community and its leaders.

Pray it over our nation and its leaders.

You can even pray it and sing it, check out “Christ Be All Around Me” by All Sons & Daughters.

A Prayer By Saint Patrick:

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

I arise today
through the strength of Christ with His Baptism,
through the strength of His Crucifixion with His Burial,
through the strength of His Resurrection with 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 the service of the Archangels,
in hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
in prayers of Patriarchs, in predictions of Prophets,
in preachings of Apostles, in faiths of Confessors,
in innocence of Holy Virgins, in deeds of righteous men.

I arise today
through the strength of Heaven:
light of Sun, brilliance of Moon, splendour of Fire,
speed of Lightning, swiftness of Wind, depth of Sea,
stability of Earth, firmness of 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 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 witches 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.

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

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

Salvation is of the Lord.
Salvation is of the Lord.
Salvation is of Christ.
May Thy Salvation, O Lord, be ever with us.

A Couple Reflections/Questions From St. Patrick’s Prayer:

1. In the midst of everything going on in your life right now, what would it look like for you to have the Strength of God in your life?

2. Take a minute to think about it, God knows everything that is happening in the world right now. He knows about everything that is happening in your life right now. He sees you, hears you, and CARES. In fact you are invited to cast your burdens on the Lord (Psalm 55:22). Take a moment, and tell Him what is bothering you. Tell Him what worries you.

3. Give God some praise! Praise God because He is good! Praise God because He is Worthy! Praise God for His Matchless Love! Praise God for His Faithfulness! Praise God for His Sovereign Power! Praise God Because the tomb is empty and Jesus is alive! Praise God for all the things you are thankful for!

4. Build your confidence. What would your life look like today, if you really believed that through the power of the Holy Spirit:

   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

5. Spend some time asking God for both Wisdom and Protection. During this uncertain season we as Christ Follower have the opportunity to adapt to what is happening in the world around us, and serve people as the hands and feet of Christ. I love that St. Patrick prayed against things like, drowning, poisoning, wounding, and burning. St. Patrick, like us, had some things that concerned him, but he set the example of taking those concerns daily to the Lord.

On this Saint Patrick’s Day, may we be reminded of who God is and may we walk confidently knowing He is WITH US!