A couple of years ago, I was working through a hard time, but it was difficult to convey why the situation was so difficult. When I talked about it, people were as sympathetic as they could be, but I sensed that they didn’t really get it. This lack of understanding only increased my feelings of isolation. Then, in the midst of my frustration, my friend Seth texted me something that changed my perspective completely.
He sent the “Lorica of St. Patrick,” which seemed odd at first. I had never heard of a lorica before, and in my ignorance, I assumed it was something superstitious. As it turns out, it’s just a prayer for protection that Christians recite in times of need. “Be Thou My Vision” is an old Irish lorica set to music.
When I read the “Lorica of St. Patrick,” it put words to my desperation and redirected my hope to the one who is my “very present help in time of trouble” (Psalm 46:1, KJV). So if you’re feeling overwhelmed by troubles that no one else seems to understand, I commend it to you. Hopefully, you find peace and comfort from it as well.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of Christ’s birth and His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection and His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.
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…
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 every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through a confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.
Amen.
* This is an abridged version of the lorica. The full version can be found here.
Copyright 2016 Joshua Rogers. All rights reserved.
