Happy St. Patrick’s Day

Last year I posted the St. Patrick’s Breastplate prayer and a beautiful recitation of it.  Go back and pray and listen to it.  It’s worth it.  It’s a prayer one should pray regularly, but if you forget, today is the opportune time to do it at least once for the year.

Today I want to link to an expounding of the prayer by Fr. Patrick Briscoe, OP, “St.Patrick’s Breastplate UNPACKED” over at Aleteia. 

Let me give you a sample. 

 

St. Patrick’s Breastplate (also called the Lorica, from the Latin word for Roman armor) is a prayer to take up arms in spiritual battle. Summoning the forces of heaven to combat the armies of hell, this prayer attributed to the Apostle of Ireland contains a wealth of theological wisdom. On the feast of St. Patrick, take a moment to pray and reflect on these ancient, powerful words.

 

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.

 

St. Patrick’s prayer starts with the central mystery of the Christian faith: the Holy Trinity. The Christian God is one in three, three in one. The eternal Father begets the Son, and together they breathe forth the Holy Spirit. Eternal and infinite, the love of Father, Son, and Spirit pours forth upon the world. The diffused goodness of God, a goodness so great that it cannot be contained, spills out upon all creation, making and forming the world in love.

 

Oh read the entire article.  It’s a beautiful prayer and a great explanation.

I also found another musical version, this by Dwight Beal, who I have never heard of.  He takes some liberties with the words to fit his melody, but the spirit is faithful to the prayer.  He calls it "The Hymn of St. Patrick."

It’s beautiful.  Happy St. Patrick’s Day.  And remember, it's a religious day first and foremost.