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There’s an old prayer attributed to St. Patrick. As with many of Martin Luther’s own hymns, the style mimics that of the culture around him. It echoes druidic incantations of the day for protection on a journey. Invoking the Trinity and reflecting the many signs of blessing that can help us greet any new day with confidence, his long prayer ends with these words:
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 when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone 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.
The prayer is known as St. Patrick’s Breastplate. Translated into English verse by Cecil Frances Alexander in 1889, it inspired the hymn “I bind unto Myself Today” found in our worship book (ELW #450).
St. Patrick had quite a challenging life. Although some details might be more mythic than truth due to his living so long ago (5th Century AD), it is generally accepted that he was born the son of a decurion (Senator and tax collector) in a Roman city of Britain. His grandfather, Potitus, is reported to have been a priest from Bonaven Tabernia, but it appears Patrick did not actively practice the Christian faith as a youth.
According to the Confession of St. Patrick, he was kidnapped when young and enslaved by Irish pirates. Escaping after six years as a slave in Ireland (perhaps with signs of divine intervention depending on the story), he made it back home. Patrick went on to become an active Christian and eventually a priest. That might have been enough of a story on its own, but one day, he had a vision. He wrote, “I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried many letters, and he gave me one of them. I read the heading: ‘The Voice of the Irish’. As I began the letter, I imagined in that moment that I heard the voice of those very people who were near the wood of Foclut, which is beside the western sea—and they cried out, as with one voice: ‘We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us.’” Despite his past enslavement, Patrick ended up returning to Ireland as a missionary and bishop.
We cannot know all the struggles of faith and other tribulations Patrick faced during his lifetime, but his words and example can be instructive for us. Whatever our situation, trust Christ is with you. Whatever your call, know that Christ desires to be reflected in your work. In all our relationships, seek to love others, including our enemies. In striving to do this, even imperfectly, our own lives can become a song which glorifies God. With Patrick, and his predecessor, St. Paul, we can trust through the gift of faith, “it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). Walking among others, remember, Christ will be there too.
Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations for this post are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) translation.
Originally published in the March 2023 newsletter of Christ Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, VA.
© 2023 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author.
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