PRAYER TO THE NINE-FOLD

I arise today through Strength of Heaven
Light of Sun Radiance of Moon
Splendor of Fire Speed of Lightning
Swiftness of Wind Depth of Sea
Stability of Earth Firmness of Rock

I arise today through the nine-fold elements
of the wondrous Creation
Prepared by Christ, who created me to be
within it and beyond forever soul.

Blessing to Heal a Sprain or Any Disunity

Bride went out
            One morning early,
With her two horses;
            One broke its leg
With much ado.
            What was apart
She put together
            Bone to bone,
Flesh to flesh,
            Sinew to sinew,
Vein to vein;
            As she healed that
May we heal this.

            Trans. by Cailin Matthews from Carmina Gadelica, vol. 2                     
Bride is another word for Bridget, the Irish saint of the Celtic Church .

A Celtic Prayer

O God,
In my deeds,
In my words,
In my wishes,
In my reason,
And in the fulfilling of my desires,
In my sleep,
In my dreams,
In my repose,
In my thoughts,
In my heart and soul always,
May the blessed Virgin Mary
And the promised Branch of Glory dwell.
            Oh! In my heart and soul always,
            May the blessed Virgin Mary,
            And the fragrant Branch of Gory dwell.

The Child of Glory

The Child of glory,
The Child of Mary,
Born in the stable,
            The King of all,
Who came to the wilderness
And in our stead suffered;
Happy they are counted
            Who to him are near.

When he Himself saw
That we were in travail,
Heaven opened graciously
            Over our head;
We beheld Christ,
The Spirit of truth,
The same drew us in
            ‘Neath the shield of His crown.

Strengthen our hope,
Enliven our joyance,
Keep us valiant,
            Faithful and near;
O light of our lantern,
Along with the virgins,
Singing in glory
            The anthem new.  

The Child of Glory

The Child of glory,
The Child of Mary,
Born in the stable,
            The King of all,
Who came to the wilderness
And in our stead suffered;
Happy they are counted
            Who to him are near.

When he Himself saw
That we were in travail,
Heaven opened graciously
            Over our head;
We beheld Christ,
The Spirit of truth,
The same drew us in
            ‘Neath the shield of His crown.

Strengthen our hope,
Enliven our joyance,
Keep us valiant,
            Faithful and near;
O light of our lantern,
Along with the virgins,
Singing in glory
            The anthem new.  

Jesu who ought to be praised

It were as easy for Jesu
To renew the withered tree
As to wither the new
Were it His will so to do.
            Jesu! Jesu! Jesu!
            Jesu!  meet it were to praise Him.

There is no plant in the ground
But is full of His virtue,
There is no form in the strand
But is full of His blessing.
            Jesu! Jesu! Jesu!
            Jesu! meet it were to praise Him.

There is no life in the sea,
There is no creature in the river,
There is naught in the firmament,
But proclaims His goodness.
            Jesu! Jesu! Jesu!
            Jesu! meet it were to praise Him.

There is no bird on the wing,
There is no star in the sky,
There is nothing beneath the sun,
But proclaims His goodness.
            Jesu! Jesu! Jesu!
            Jesu! meet it were to praise Him.

                                    Ancient Celtic Prayer from the Carmina Gadelica

Desires

May I speak each day according to Thy justice,
Each day may I show thy chastening, O God;
May I speak each day according to Thy wisdom,
Each day and night may I be at peace with Thee.

Each day may I count the causes of Thy mercy,
May I each day give heed to Thy laws;
Each day may I compose to Thee a song,
May I harp each day Thy praise, O God.

May I each day give love to Thee, Jesu,
Each night may I do the same;
Each day and night, dark and light,
May I laud Thy goodness to me, O God.

May I speak each day according to Thy justice,
Each day may I show Thy chastening, O God;
May I speak each day according to thy wisdom,
Each day and night may I be at peace with Thee.

Each day may I count the causes of Thy mercy,
May I each day give heed to Thy laws;
Each day may I compose to Thee a song,
May I harp each day Thy praise, O God.

May I each day give love to Thee, Jesu,
Each night may I do the same;
Each day and night, dark and light,
May I laud Thy goodness to me, O God.

                        A prayer in the Celtic tradition from The Carmina Gadelica

Come I this day to the Father,
Come I this day to the Son,
Come I to the Holy Spirit powerful;
Come I this day with God,
Come I this day with Christ,
Come I with the Spirit of kindly balm.

God, and Spirit, and Jesus,
From the crown of my head
To the soles of my feet;
Come I with my reputation,
Come I with my testimony,
Come I to Thee, Jesu;
Jesu, shelter me.

I bathe my face
In the nine rays of the sun,
As Mary bathed her Son
   In the rich fermented milk.

Honey be in my mouth,
Affection be in my face;
The love that Mary gave her Son
   Be in the heart of all flesh for me.

You are the love of each living creature O God
You are the warmth of the rising sun
You are the whiteness of the moon at night
You are the life of the growing earth
You are the strength of the waves of the sea.
Speak to me this night O God
Speak to me your truth.
Dwell with me this night O God
Dwell with me in love.

A Blessing

Be the Three Persons taking possession of all to me
             belonging,
Be the sure Trinity protecting me in truth;
Oh! Satisfy my soul in the words of Paul,
And shield my loved ones beneath the wing of Thy Glory,
     Shield my loved ones beneath the wing of Thy Glory.

Bless everything and everyone one,
Of this little household by my side;
Place the cross of Christ on us with the power of love,
Till we see the land of joy,
    Till we see the land of joy.

Thou Being who didst create me at the beginning,
Listen and attend me as I bend the knee to Three,
Morning and evening as is becoming in me,
In Thine own presence, O God of life,
     In Thine own presence, O God of life.

Blessing of the Kindling

I will kindle my fire this morning
In presence of the holy angels of heaven,
In presence of Airel of the loveliest form,
In presence of Uriel of the myriad charms,
Without malice, without jealousy, without envy,
Without fear, without terror of any one under the sun,
But the Holy Son of God to shield me.
            Without malice, without jealousy, without envy,
            Without fear, without terror of any one under the sun
            But the Holy Son of God to shield me.

God, kindle Thou in my heart within
A flame of love to my neighbour,
To my foe, to my friend, to my kindred all,
To the brave, to the knave, to the thrall,
O Son of the loveliest Mary,
From the lowliest thing that liveth,
To the Name that is highest of all.
            O Son of the loveliest Mary,
            From the loveliest thing that liveth,
            To the Name that is highest of all.

An ancient Celtic Prayer from the Carmina Gadelica

Supplication

O Being of Life!
O Being of peace!
O Being of time!
            O Being of eternity!
            O Being of eternity!

Keep me in good means,
Keep me in good intent,
Keep me in good estate,
            Better than I know to ask,
            Better than I know to ask!

Shepherd me this day,
Relieve my distress,
Enfold me this night,
            Pour upon me Thy grace,
            Pour upon me Thy grace!

Guard for me my speech,
Strengthen for me my love,
Illume for me the stream,
            Succour Thou me in death,
            Succour Thou me in death!

            From the Carmina Gadelica

Prayer to Jesus

I say the prayer from my mouth,
I say the prayer from my heart,
I say the prayer to Thee Thyself,
O Healing Hand, O Son of the God of salvation;  

O Son of Mary the benign,
Together with Pater and Credo,
The Prayer of Mary thereafter,
And Thine own Prayer, O Son of the God of grace;  

To magnify the greatness of heaven,
To magnify the greatness of God,
To magnify Thine own greatness,
And Thy glory, O Son of God of the Passion;  

To give praise to Thee, Jesus,
Lord of sea and of land,
Lord of son and of moon,
Lord of the beautiful stars.

Fountain of life to the righteous,
Faithful Brother of helpfulness,
Take Thou my prayer availing
To my soul and to my body.

Thou Lord God of the angels,
Spread over me Thy linen robe;
Shield me from every famine,
Free me from every spectral shape.

Strengthen me in every good,
Encompass me in every strait,
Safeguard me in every ill,
And from every enmity restrain me.

            The Carmina Gadelica

Encompassing

The compassing of God be on thee,
The compassing of the God of life.

The compassing of Christ be on thee,
The compassing of the Christ of love.

The compassing of Spirit be on thee,
The compassing of the Spirit of Grace.

The compassing of the Three be on thee,
The compassing of the Three preserve thee,
The compassing of the Three preserve thee.

            The Carmina Gadelica

The holy Apostles’ guarding,
The gentle martyrs’ guarding,
The nine angels’ guarding,
Be cherishing me, be aiding me.

The quiet Brigit’s guarding,
The gentle Mary’s guarding,
The warrior Michael’s guarding,
Be shielding me, be aiding me.

The God the elements’ guarding,
The loving Christ’s guarding,
The Holy Spirit’s guarding,
Be cherishing me, be aiding me.

The Carmina Gadelica

Praise of Mary

Flower-garland of the ocean,
            Flower-garland of the land.
Flower-garland of the heavens,
            Mary, Mother of God.

Flower-garland of the earth,
            Flower-garland of the skies,
Flower-garland of the angels,
            Mary, Mother of God.

Flower-garland of the mansion,
            Flower-garland of the stars,
Flower-garland of paradise,
            Mary, Mother of God.

            The Carmina Gadelica

The love and affection of the angels be to you,
The love and affection of the saints be to you,
The love and affection of heaven be to you,
To guard you and to cherish you.
May God shield you on every steep,
May Christ aid you on very path,
May Spirit fill you on every slope,
On hill and on plain.

The Carmina Gadelica

A Traveler’s Blessing

The crown of the King is around thy head,
The diadem of the Son is around thy brow,
The might of the Spirit is in thy breast:
Thou shalt go forth and come homeward safe.

Thou shalt journey upward
And come again down,
Thou shalt journey over ocean
And come again hither;

No peril shall befall thee
On knoll nor on bank,
In hollow nor in meadow,
On mount nor in glen.

The shield of Michael is over thee,
King of the bright angels,
To shield thee and to guard thee
From thy summit to thy sole.

                        The Carmina Gadelica

Grace

Grace of love be thine,
Grace of floor be thine,
Grace of castle be thine,
Grace of court be thine,
Grace and pride of homeland be thine.

The guard of the God of life be thine,
The guard of the loving Christ be thine,
The guard of the Holy Spirit be thine,

            To cherish thee,
            To aid thee,
            To enfold thee.

The Three be about thy head,
The Three be about thy breast,
The Three be about thy body
Each night and each day,
In the encompassment of the Three
Throughout thy life long.

            The Carmina Gadelica

Prayer

Each day be glad to thee,
No day be sad to thee,
Life rich and satisfying.

Plenty be on thy course,
A son be on thy coming,
A daughter on thine arriving.

The strong help of the serpent be thine,
The strong help of fire be thine,
The strong help of the graces.

The love—death of joy be thine,
The love—death of Mary be thine,
The loving arm of Thy Saviour.

            The Carmina Gadelica

The Pilgrim’s Hope

I will bathe my face
In the nine rays of the sun,
As Mary washed her Son
In the milk of the generous brac.

May mildness be on my lips,
May kindness be on my face,
May chasteness be on my desire,
May wisdom be in my purpose.

The love that Mary gave to her one Son
May all the world give me;
The love that Jesus gave to John Baptist
Grant that I give to whoso meets me.

May the Son of God be at the outset of my journey,
May the Son of God be in surety to aid me;
May the Son of God make clear my way,
May the Son of God be at the end of my seeking.

            A Prayer in the Celtic Tradition from the Carmina Gadelica

            PEACE

Peace between neighbours,
Peace between kindred,
Peace between lovers,
In love of the King of life.

Peace between person and person,
Peace between wife and husband,
Peace between woman and children,
The peace of Christ above all peace.

Bless, O Christ, my face,
Let my face bless every thing;
Bless, O Christ, mine eye,
Let mine eye bless all it sees.

            The Carmina Gadelica

The New Moon

She of my love is the new moon,
            The King of all creatures blessing her;
Be mine a good purpose
            Towards each creature of creation.

Holy be each thing
            Which she illumines;
Kindly be each deed
            Which she reveals.

Be her guidance on land
            With all beset ones;
Be her guidance on the sea
            With all distressed ones.

May the moon of moons
            Be coming through thick clouds
On me and on every mortal
            Who is coming through affliction.

May the virgin of my love
            Be coming through dense dark clouds
To me and to each one
            Who is in tribulation.

May the King of grace
            Be helping my hand
Now and for ever
            Till my resurrection day.

            The Carmina Gadelica

The Meal

Give us, O God, of the morning meal,
Benefit to the body, the frame of the soul;
Give us, O God, of the seventh bread,
Enough for our need at evening close.

Give us, O God, of the honey—sweet foaming milk,
The sap and milk of the fragrant farms,
And give us, O God, along with Thy sleep,
Rest in the shade of Thy covenant Rock.

Give us this night of the corn that shall last,
Give us this night of the drink that shall hurt not;
Give us this night, anear to the heavens,
The chalice of Mary mild, the tender.

Be with us by day, be with us by night,
Be with us by light and by dark,
In our lying down and in our rising up,
In speech, in walk, in prayer.

            The Carmina Gadelica

From the Beltane Blessing (May Day)

Every holiness, blessing, and power,
Be yielded to us every time and every hour,
In name of the Holy Threefold above,
Father, Son and Spirit everlasting.

Be the Cross of Christ to shield us downward,
Be the Cross of Christ to shield us upward,
Be the Cross of Christ to shield us roundward,
Accepting our Beltane blessing from us,
            Accepting our Beltane blessing from us.

            From the Carmina Gadelica

Joy is the most important Christian emotion. Duty calls only when gratitude fails to prompt.

            William Sloan Coffin

God with me lying down 

God with me lying down,
God with me rising up,
God with me in each ray of light,
Nor I a ray of joy without Him.
            Nor one ray without Him.

Christ with me sleeping,
Christ with me waking,
Christ with me watching,
Every day and night,
            Each day and night.

God with me protecting,
The Lord with me directing,
The Spirit with m strengthening,
For ever and for evermore,
            Ever and evermore, Amen.
               Chief of chiefs, Amen.
            From the Celtic Prayer Book The Carmina Gadelica

Part of the invocation of the graces

A shade art thou in the heat,
A shelter art thou in the cold,
Eyes art thou to the blind,
A staff art thou to the pilgrim,
An island art thou at sea,
A fortress art thou on land,
A well art thou in the desert,
            Health art thou to the ailing.

From the Celtic Prayer Book The Carmina Gadelica

A general supplication

God, listen to my prayer,
Bend to me Thine ear,
Let my supplications and my prayers
Ascend to Thee upwards.
Come, Thou King of Glory,
To protect me down,
Thou King of life and mercy
With the aid of the Lamb,
Thou Son of Mary Virgin
To protect me with power,
Thou Son of the lovely Mary
Of purest fairest beauty.

            Celtic Prayer from the Carmina Gadelica

Jesu, Thou Son of Mary

Jesu, Thou Son of Mary,
Have mercy upon us,
            Amen.
Jesu, Thou Son of Mary,
Make peace with us,
            Amen.
Oh, with us and or us
Where we shall longest be,
            Amen.
Be about the morning of our course,
Be about the losing of our life,
            Amen.
Be at the dawning of our life,
And oh! At the dark’ning of our day,
            Amen.
Be for us and with us,
Merciful God of all,
            Amen.
Consecrate us
Condition and lot,
Thou King of kings,
Thou God of all,
            Amen.
Consecreate us
Rights and means,
Thou King of kings,
Thou God of all,
            Amen.
Consecrate us
Heart and body,
Thou King of kings,
Thou God of all,
            Amen.
Each heart and body,
Each day to Thyself,
Each night accordingly,
Thou King of kings,
Thou God of all.
            Amen.

            A Celtic Prayer from the Carmina Gadelica

Now to the Father who created each creature,
Now to the Son who paid ransom for His people,
Now to the Holy Spirit, Comforter of might:
Shield and sain us from every wound;
Be about the beginning and end of our race,
Be giving us to sing in glory,
In peace, in rest, in reconciliation,
Where no tear shall be shed, where death comes no more.
            Where no tear shall be shed, where death comes no more.

Carmina Gadelica

O God,
In my deeds,
In my words,
In my wishes,
In my reason,
And in the fulfilling my desires,
In my sleep,
In my dreams,
In my repose,
In my thoughts,
In my heart and soul always,
May the blessed Virgin Mary,
And the promised Branch of Glory dwell.
            Oh! In my heart and soul always,
            May the blessed Virgin Mary,
            And the fragrant Branch of Glory dwell.

Carmina Gadelica

Thou angel of God who has charge of me
From the dear Father of mercifulness,
The shepherding kind of the fold of the saints
To make round bout me this night.

Drive from me every temptation and danger,
Surround me on the sea of unrighteousness,
And in the narrows, crooks and straits,
Keep thou my coracle*, keep it always.

Be thou a bright flame before me,
Be thou a guiding star above me,
Be thou a smooth path below me,
And be a kindly shepherd behind me,
Today, tonight, and forever.

The Carmina Gadelica
*A coracle is a small rounded boat made of waterproof material stretched over a wicker or wooden frame.

May I speak each day according to Thy justice,
Each day may I show Thy chastening, O God;
May I speak each day according to Thy wisdom,
Each day and night may I be at peace with Thee.

Each day may I count the causes of Thy mercy,
May I each day give heed to Thy laws;
Each day may I compose a song to thee a song,
May I harp each day Thy praise, O God.

May I each day give love to Thee, Jesu,
Each night may I do the same;
Each day and night, dark and light,
May I laud Thy goodness to me, O God.

            The Carmina Gadelica

Bathing Prayer

A palmful for thine age,
            A palmful for thy growth,
A palmful for thy throat,
            A flood for thine appetite.

The three palmfulls
Of the Secret Three,
To preserve thee
From every envy,
Evil eye and death;
The palmful of the God of Life,
The palmful of the Christ of Love,
The palmful of the Spirit of Peace,
            Triune
            Of Grace. 

A Celtic Prayer from  The Carmina Gadelica

God Guide Me

God guide me with Thy wisdom,
God chastise me with Thy justice,
God help me with Thy mercy,
God protect me with Thy strength.

God fill me with Thy fullness,
God shield me with Thy shade,
God fill me with Thy grace,
For the sake of Thine Anointed Son.

Jesu Christ of the seed of David,
Visiting One of the Temple,
Sacrificial Lamb of the Garden,
Who died for me.

            Celtic prayer from The Carmina Gadelica

Be the cross of Mary and Michael over me in peace,
Be my soul dwell in truth, be my heart free of guile,
Be my soul in peace with thee, Brightness of the mountains,
Valiant Michael, meet thou my soul,
            Morn and eve, day and night. May it be so.

            The Carmina Gadelica

Come I this day to the Father,
Come I this day to the Son,
Come I to the Holy Spirit powerful;
Come I this day with God,
Come I this day with Christ,
Come I with the Spirit of kindly balm.

God, and Spirit, and Jesus,
From the crown of my head
To the soles of my feet;
Come I with my reputation,
Come I with my testimony,
Come I to Thee, Jesu;
            Jesu, shelter me.

            The Carmina Gadelica

Spirit, give me of Thine abundance,
Father, give me of Thy wisdom,
Son, give me in my need,
            Jesus beneath the shelter of Thy shield.

I lie down tonight,
With the Triune of my strength,
With the Father, with Jesus,
            With the Spirit of might.

The Carmina Gadelica

            Soul-shrine

Thou angel of God who has charge of me
From the fragrant Father of mercifulness,
The gentle encompassing of the Sacred Heart
To make round my soul-shrine this night,
            O, round my soul-shrine this night.

Ward from me every distress and danger,
Encompass my course over the ocean of truth,
I pray thee, place thy pure light before me,
O bright beauteous angel on this very night,
            Bright beauteous angel on this very night.

Be Thyself the guiding star above me,
Illume Thou to me every reef and shoal,
Pilot my barque on the crest of the wave,
To the restful haven of the waveless sea,
            Oh, the restful haven of the waveless sea.

                        The Carmina Gadelica

God, bless the world and all that is therein.
God, bless my spouse and my children,
God, bless the eye that is in my head,
And bless, O God, the handling of my hand;
What time I rise in the morning early,
What time I lie down late in bed;
            Bless my rising in the morning early,
            And my lying down late in bed.

            The Carmina Gadelica

To whom shall I offer oblation
In name of Michael on high?
I will give tithe of my means
To the forsaken illustrious One.

Because of all that I have seen,
Of His peace and of His mercy,
Lift Thou my soul to Thee, O Son of God,
Nor leave me ever.

Remember me in the mountain,
Under Thy wing shield Thou me;
Rock of truth, do not forsake me,
My wish it were ever to be near Thee.

Give to me the wedding garment,
Be angels conversing with me in every need,
Be the holy apostles protecting me,
The fair Mary and Thou, Jesu of grace,
            The fair Mary and Thou, Jesu of grace.

            The Carmina Gadelica

Hail, Mary

Hail, Mary! hail, Mary!
            Queen of grace, Mother of mercy;
Hail, Mary, in manner surpassing,
            Fount of our health, source of our joy.

To thee we, night and day,
            Erring children of Adam and Eve,
Lift our voice in supplication,
            In groans and grief and tears.

Bestow upon us, thou Root of gladness,
            Since thou art the cup of generous graces,
The faith of John, and Peter, and Paul,
            With the wings of Ariel on the heights of the clouds.

Vouchsafe to us, thou golden branch,
            A mansion in the Realm of peace,
Rest from the perils and stress of waves,
            Beneath the shade of the fruit of thy womb, Jesu.

            The Carmina Gadelica

A Celtic perspective on Christmas: Christmas Carol

Hail King! Hail King! Blessed is He! Blessed is He!
Hail King! Hail King! Blessed is He! Blessed is He!
Hail King! Hail King! Blessed is He, the King, of whom we sing,
            All hail! Let there be joy!

This night is the eve of the great Nativity,
Born is the Son of Mary the Virgin,
The soles of His feet have reached the earth,
The Son of glory down from on high,
Heaven and earth glowed to Him,
            All hail! Let there be joy!

The peace of earth to Him, the joy of heaven to Him,
Behold His feet have reached the world;
The homage of a King be His, the welcome of a Lamb be His,
King all victorious, Lamb all glorious,
Earth and ocean illumed to Him,
            All hail! Let there by joy!

The mountains glowed to Him, the plains glowed to Him,
The voice of the waves with the song of the strand,
Announcing to us that Christ is born,
Son of the King of kings from the land of salvation;
Shone the sun on the mountains high to Him,
            All hail! Let there be joy!

Shone to Him the earth and sphere together,
God the Lord has opened a Door;
Son of Mary Virgin, hasten Thou to help me,
Thou Christ of hope, Thou Door of joy,
Golden Sun of hill and mountain,
            All hail!Let there be joy!

The Carmina Gadelica

Christmas chant—for blessing a home

Hail King! Hail King! Blessed is He! Blessed is He!
Hail King! Hail King! Blessed is He! Blessed is He!
            Ho hail! Blessed the King!
            Ho hi! Let there be Joy!

Prosperity be upon this dwelling,
On all that ye have heard and seen,
On the bare bright floor flags,
On the shapely standing stone staves,
            Hail King! Hail King! Blessed is he! Blessed is He!

Bless this house and all that it contains,
From rafter and stone and beam;
Deliver it to God from pall to cover,
Be the healing of men (sic) therein,
            Hail King! Hail King! Blessed is He! Blessed is He!

Be ye in lasting possession of the house,
Be ye healthy about the hearth;
Many be the ties and stakes in the homestead,
People dwelling on this foundation,
            Hail King! Hail King! Blessed is He! Blessed is He!

Offer to the Being from found to cover,
Include stave and stone and beam;
Offer again both rods and cloth,
Be health to the people therein,
            Hail King! Hail King! Blessed is He! Blessed is He!
            Hail King! Hail King! Blessed is He! Blessed is He!
            Ho, hail! Blessed the King!
            Let there be joy!

Blessed the King,
Without beginning, without ending,
To everlasting, to eternity,
Every generation for aye,
Ho! Hi! Let there be joy!

            The Carmina Gadelica

Chorus:
Hey the Gift, ho the Gift,
Hey the Gift on the living.

Son of the dawn, Son of the clouds,
Son of the planet, Son of the star,

Chorus

Son of the rain, Son of the dew,
Son of the welkin, Son of the sky,

Chorus

Son of the flame, Son of the light,
Son of the sphere, Son of the globe,

Chorus

Son of the elements, Son of the heavens,
Son of the moon, Son of the sun,

Chorus

Son of Mary of the God-mind,
And the Son of God first of all news,

Chorus

            The Carmina Gadelica

Loom Blessing

Thrums nor odds of thread
My hand never kept, nor shall keep,
Every colour in the bow of the shower
Has gone through my fingers beneath the cross,
White and black, red and madder,
Green, dark grey, and scarlet,
Blue and roan and colour of the sheep,
And never a particle of cloth was wanting.

I beseech calm Bride the generous,
I beseech mild Mary the loving,
I beseech Christ Jesu the humane,
That I may not die without them,
            That I may not die without them.

The Carmina Gadelica

Each thing I have received, from Thee it came,
Each thing for which I hope, from Thy love it will come,
Each thing I enjoy, it is of Thy bounty,
Each thing I ask, comes of Thy disposing.

Holy God, loving Father, of the word everlasting,
Grant me to have of Thee this living prayer:
Lighten my understanding, kindle my will, begin my doing,
Incite my love, strengthen my weakness, enfold my desire.

Cleanse my heart, make holy my soul, confirm my faith,
Keep safe my mind and compass my body about;
As I utter my prayer from my mouth,
In mine own heart may I feel Thy presence.

And do Thou grant, O God of life,
That Thou be at my breast, that Thou be at my back,
That Thou give me my needs as may befit the crown
Thou hast promised to us the in the world beyond.

            The Carmina Gadelica

Excerpts from “Prayer to Jesus”

I say the prayer from my mouth,
I say the prayer from my heart,
I say the prayer to Thee Thyself,
O Healing Hand, O Son of the God of salvation;

O Son of Mary the benign,
Together with Pater and Credo,
The Prayer of Mary thereafter,
And Thine own Prayer, O Son of the God of grace;

To magnify the greatness of heaven,
To magnify the greatness of God,
To magnify Thine own greatness,
And Thy glory, O Son of God of the Passion;

To give praise to Thee, Jesus,
Lord of sea and of land,
Lord of sun and of moon,
Lord of the beautiful stars.

Fountain of life to the righteous,
Faithful Brother of helpfulness,
Take Thou my prayer availing
To my soul and to my body….

Strengthen me in every good,
Encompass me in every strait,
Safeguard me in every ill,
And from every enmity restrain me.

Be Thou between me and all things grisly,
Be Thou between me and all things mean,
Be Thou between me and all things gruesome
Coming darkly towards me.

O glorious Master of the stars,
O glorious Master of the skies,
O glorious Master of the heavens,
Blest by Thee has been every tribe and people….

Put Thy salve to my sight,
Put Thy balm to my wounds,
Put Thy linen robe to my skin,
O Healing Hand, O Son of the God of salvation.

            O God of the weak,
            O God of the lowly,
            O God of the righteous,
            O shield of homesteads:

            Thou art calling upon us
            In the voice of glory
            With the mouth of mercy
            Of Thy beloved Son.

            O may I find rest everlasting
            In the home of Thy Trinity,
            In the Paradise of the godly,
            In the Sun-garden of Thy love.

            The Carmina Gadelica  This prayer seems especially timely after the tornado in Iowa City on Maundy Thursday.

The Lustration

I am bathing my face
In the mild rays of the sun,
As Mary bathed Christ
In the rich milk of Egypt.

Sweetness be in my mouth,
Wisdom be in my speech.
The love the fair Mary gave her Son
Be in the heart of all flesh for me.

The love of Christ in my breast,
The form of Christ protecting me,
There is not in sea nor on land
That can overcome the King of the Lord’s Day.

The hand of Bride about my neck,
The hand of Mary about my breast,
The hand of Michael laving me,
The hand of Christ saving me.

            From the Carmina Gadelica