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the
breastplate of patrick
or
Lorica
(the
deer's
cry)
For
my shield this day I call:
A mighty power:
The Holy Trinity!
Affirming the Three,
Confessing oneness,
in the making of all
Through love...
For
my shield this day I call:
Christ's power in his coming
and in his baptizing,
Christ's power in his dying
On the cross, his rising
from the tomb, his ascending;
Christ's power in his coming
for judgment and ending.
For
my shield this day I call:
Strong
power of the seraphim,
with angels obeying,
and archangels attending, in the glorious
company of the holy and risen ones
in the prayers of the fathers in visions prophetic
and commands apostolic
in the annals if witness...
For
my shield this day I call:
Heaven's might,
sun's brightness,
Moon's whiteness,
Fire's glory,
Lightning’s swiftness,
Wind's wildness,
Ocean's depth
Earth's solidity,
Rock's immobility.
This
day I call to me:
God's strength to direct me,
God's power to sustain me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's vision to light me,
God's ear to my hearing,
God's word to my speaking,
God's hand to uphold me,
God's pathway before me,
God's shield to protect me.
From
evil enticements,
from failings of nature,
from one man or many,
that seek to destroy me,
near or far.
Around
me I gather
these forces to save
my soul and my body...
Against
knowledge unlawful
that injures the body,
that injures the spirit.
Be
Christ this day my strong protector
against poison and burning
against drowning wounding
through reward wide plenty
Christ
beside me
Christ before me
Christ behind me
Christ within me
Christ beneath me
Christ above me
Christ to the right of me
Christ to the left of me
Christ
in my lying, my sitting, my rising
Christ in heart of all who know me
Christ on tongue of all who meet me;
Christ in eye of all who see me;
Christ in ear of all who hear me.
For
my shield this day I call
a mighty power:
The Holy Trinity!
Affirming the Three,
Confessing oneness,
in the making of all
Through love
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