St. Patty

Maybe by now you’ve noticed the tagline i’ve added to the top of my page.

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

These lines are a small part of the Lorica written by St. Patrick. I discovered the Lorica last year, while in Burkina and began to pray through it regularly.

The word Lorica is a latin word meaning shield or breastplate. I have to believe it is no accident that St. Patrick chose this as his title. I don’t believe that the Lorica is a prayer of protection from all the troubles of the world. I do believe that it is a prayer of surrender to our sovereign Lord and that is protection in another way entirely.

Another set of lines in the Lorica:

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,

The Lorica is my prayer for these coming weeks in Calgary and for the months ahead of me in Burkina: that I will allow God to be my everything, to give me love so I can love like Him even when I feel I can’t, to allow Him to give me patience when my earthly patience runs dry and to give me strength when I am tired. I pray that I will trust Him wherever I am and in whatever situation I encounter.