March 17, 2020 – 12:00 PM
WHERE ARE THE LUCKY CHARMS WHEN WE NEED THEM?
Tuesday, March 17, 2020 Thoughts for St. Patrick’s Day
Maybe not in the supermarket, the way things are going, although I doubt they’ve disappeared from the shelves at quite the same rate as the toilet paper.
In the midst of the unprecedented (at least in my lifetime) chaos, with St. Patrick’s Day events AND Tulip Time cancelled, I thought we might meditate upon the hymn often called the Breastplate of St. Patrick, inspired by and inspiring to him in a turbulent period of his life when he and his monks were on the run from enemies determined to do them harm.
We know it best through the translation by Cecil Francis Alexander, author of such familiar hymns as “Once in Royal David’s City,” “All Things Bright and Beautiful,” and “Jesus Call Us; O’er the Tumult.”
Some of us may have even sung it in church; it is in the red hymnbook in our pews, number 224. Five verses seem a bit much, but there may be even more floating around. Good food for thought today.
- I bind unto myself today The strong name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same The Three in One, and One in Three.
- I bind this day to me forever, By the power of faith, Christ’s incarnation; His baptism in Jordan river; His death on the cross for my salvation;
His bursting forth from the spiced tomb, His riding up the heav’nly way,
His coming at the day of doom, I bind unto myself today.
- I bind unto myself today The power of God to hold and lead;
His eye to watch, his might to stay, His ear to hearken to my need,
The wisdom of my God to teach, His hand to guide, his shield to ward,
The word of God to give me speech, His heav’nly host to be my guard.
- Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
- I bind unto myself the name, The strong name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same, The Three in One, and One in Three,
Of whom all nature hath creation, Eternal Father, Spirit, Word,
Praise to the Lord of my salvation; Salvation is of Christ the Lord.
Grace and peace to you all.