The Spirit of St. Patrick: Resilience for Such a Time as Now

Adventurous Spirituality

The Celts were adventurers.  They sailed off into unknown lands, sometimes sailing without a rudder, trusting that God would bring them to their place of resurrection, their place of wholeness and vocation.  Each day was seen as adventure, filled with danger and possibility. Spirits, good and evil, lurked around every corner and in every grove of trees. So, Celtic travelers often drew a circle around themselves as they began each journey.  The circle (or “caim”) reminded them that they were always encircled by God’s care.  In the spirit of Psalm 139, they trusted that if they ascended to the heavens, God would be with them.  If they descended to the depths, God would also be their companion.  With the apostle Paul, they trusted that nothing could separate them from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Savior.

We are always circled by God’s love, especially in times of chaos and disorder, times when leaders have lost their reason and threaten the soul of the nation and the well-being of the planet.

Patrick’s Adventurous Spirituality

Legend has it that a local chieftain sought to kill Patrick for sharing the message of Jesus.  The chieftain sent his men to kill Patrick as he traveled along a lonely, wooded road.  As they closed in on Patrick, Patrick circled himself in divine protection. To their surprise, his pursuers discovered that somehow, Patrick disappeared.  All they saw was a deer bounding across the road.  From that adventure, legend has it that the Prayer of St. Patrick (the “Lorica” or “Breastplate”) emerged.  As you read these words, you can almost visualize Patrick drawing a circle around himself as he rotated in a clockwise manner, perhaps saying the prayer identified with his spirituality.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.

I arise today
Through 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,
God’s hosts to save me
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a multitude.

Christ shield me today
Against wounding.
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 in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through the mighty strength
Of the Lord of creation.

You can almost feel the strength of God as you read this prayer.  God permeates everything as the life-giving energy of creation.  But rather than being impersonal or indifferent to the affairs of mortals, the Energy of the Universe is personal and protective, as close as your next step or the air you breathe.  Christ surrounds us completely, giving us confidence that “all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well.” (Julian of Norwich) Whether or not we are aware of it, we are always encircled by God’s love, which is larger than our own lives and planetary journeys.

Spirituality for Just Such a Time as Now

Today, we need the wisdom of St. Patrick and the power of the Encircling God.  We live in a perfect storm of challenges, many of which are beyond our control. We are tossed about in the seas of political malpractice and uncertainty.  Guided only by ideology, lust for power, and self-interest, US leaders seem bound and determined to push back the hand of the clock on civil rights, social justice, and environmental protection. The world’s religious traditions are in flux and the spiritual landscape in North America is shifting.  Congregations are in crisis and wonder if they will survive the decade. Trumpism, despite its claim to wear the mantle of Christianity, is accelerating the demise of Christianity, especially among young people and disillusioned evangelicals. We need to experience ourselves in God’s evolving and emerging circle of love and power so that we can, with John Lewis and contemplative activists throughout the ages, make good trouble to heal the soul of the nation.

The road to recovery of the US soul is going to be long and difficult.  There is no certainty that we will succeed in healing the soul of the nation or preserving the well-being of the planet.  But, we must persist. The nation and planet depend on our faithfulness to the task of healing protest. Spiritual well-being and self-care are acts of resistance to the powers of evil.  Prophetic healing calls us to experience God’s encircling love as the foundation for protest.  With Patrick, we can arise each morning wit this prayer on our lips and let its words inspire and energize throughout the day.

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 in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

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Bruce Epperly is Theologian in Residence at Westmoreland Congregational United Church of Christ, Bethesda, MD (https://www.westmorelanducc.org/) and a professor in theology and spirituality at Wesley Theological Seminary. He is the author of over 80 books including: “Homegrown Mystics: Restoring the Soul of Our Nation through the Healing Wisdom of America’s Mystics” (Amazon.com: Homegrown Mystics: Restoring Our Nation with the Healing Wisdom of America’s Visionaries: 9781625249142: Epperly, Bruce: Books) “Jesus: Mystic, Healer, and Prophet “(Jesus: Mystic, Healer, and Prophet: Epperly, Bruce: 9781625248732: Amazon.com: Books), Saving Progressive Christianity to Save the Planet”( Saving Progressive Christianity to Save the Planet: Epperly, Bruce G: 9781631999215: Amazon.com: Books), and his most recent book, “God of the Growing Edge: Whitehead and Thurman on Theology, Spirituality and Social Change.” (The God of the Growing Edge: Whitehead and Thurman on Theology, Spirituality, and Social Change: Epperly, Bruce G: 9781631999291: Amazon.com: Books The God of the Growing Edge: Whitehead and Thurman on Theology, Spirituality, and Social Change: Epperly, Bruce G: 9781631999291: Amazon.com: Books)