Lent- Day 25
Lent 2010: A Season for Listening
3/17/10 – Day 25
Praying with St. Patrick
“I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9
One of my favorite hymns, Be Thou My Vision, is attributed to Saint Patrick. Today while some celebrate the Feast of St. Patrick with green beer and ethnic stereotypes that would be unthinkable if they were directed against anyone other than the Irish, we will meditate on his words and have him lead us in prayer. – Rev. John Mattox
Be Thou My Vision
(from the 1964 Hymnal of the Methodist Church)
Attributed to Patrick (389-461)
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that thou art;
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
Be thou my Wisdom, and thou my true Word;
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, and I thy true son,
Thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise;
Thou mine inheritance, now and always;
Thou and thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.
High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
Let us pray,
May the strength of God pilot us,
May the power of God preserve us,
May the wisdom of God instruct us,
May the hand of God protect us,
May the way of God direct us,
May the shield of God defend us,
May the host of God guard us against the snares of evil
and the temptations of the world. Amen
– Patrick
