A CELTIC PRAYER

Ruins of Abbey at Clarina (~GOSh.~)

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CHRIST WITHIN ME

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I bind unto myself this day,

The strong name of the Trinity,

By invocation of the same,

The Three in One and One in Three.

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 the hearts of all that love me,

Christ in the mouth of friend and stranger.

From the Lorica of St. Patrick

The lorica or breastplate prayer is unique to Celtic Christianity. More than a simple prayer, it is also a resounding statement of faith in the Trinity. The lorica envelopes or encompasses a believer in spiritual armour. (Eph. 6:11-17) The Celts took this Scripture seriously and saw themselves as soldiers of Christ in battle with evil. Theirs is a dynamic concept of Christianity, and it should be ours as well--a Christianity that matters. When they made their own loricas, they saw themselves as literally encircling themselves with prayer. Sometimes that even physically circled clockwise before they prayed to make visible that point.