On St. Patrick’s day we give thanks for our Irish Heritage. The Irish are the second largest nationality, behind the Germans.
The day is marked with the accomplishments of St. Patrick. Patrick while not Irish was determined to convert Ireland to Christianity from the Druids. In 431, St. Patrick was consecrated Bishop of the Irish and went to Ireland to spread “the Good news” there. He baptized thousands and ordained many priests to lead new communities of Christians.
Patrick is said to have used the shamrock to explain the Trinity, demonstrating that God is both three (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), yet one, as the shamrock is both three-leafed, yet a single plant. Shamrocks were sacred plants for the Druids, symbolizing eternal life. So he re-interpreted known symbols.
While this day is considered a festive, party day in America, it is a religious celebration in Ireland. (In fact until 1961 you could not buy drink in Dublin, Ireland on this day.) We are celebrating with the following Irish elements in our service:
1. The opening hymn, “Be thou my vision,” is a traditional Irish hymn.
It was on Slane Hill in County Meath around 433 CE that St. Patrick risked his life by climbing to the tallest hill in the area and lighting a huge fire. King Logaire of Tara proclaimed no one could light a fire before the king signaled the beginning of the pagan Druid spring festival.
As the ancient Irish people woke up, they could all see Patrick’s defiance of the king. Patrick wanted to show the world that God’s light shines in darkness, and that only He deserves praise. King Logaire was so impressed by Patrick’s devotion that, despite his defiance, he was permitted to continue his work as Ireland’s first Christian missionary.
Tradition tells us that an Irish poet from the 6th century named St. Dallán Forgaill wrote a Gaelic poem entitled “Rop tú mo Baile”, in honor of St. Patrick. Borrowing from another medieval poem, St. Patrick’s Breastplate, Forgaill’s lyrics referred to God as his “battle shield” and “high tower.”
Sadly, the oldest existing copy of Forgaill’s poem comes from the 14th century, which included no indication of its author. Because no other historical evidence connects Forgaill to the poem, it’s impossible to verify the actual origin of the lyrics to “Be Thou My Vision”. As a result, most hymnals attribute the song to “Anonymous.” As the years passed, “Slane”, and “Rop tú mo Baile” fell into obscurity.
But in 1905, Mary Byrne, a 25-year-old university student, discovered the 14th century copy of “Rop tú mo Baile” and translated it into English for the very first time. Then Eleanor Hull (1860-1935) versified the text (from the couplets) and it was published in her Poem Book of the Gael (1912). Born in Manchester, England, Hull was the founder of the Irish Text Society and president of the Irish Literary Society of London.
The melody she set it to was “Slane,” the medieval tune written in honor of St. Patrick. The hymn became famous overnight and appeared in its first hymnal in 1919.
Irish liturgy and ritual scholar Helen Phelan, a lecturer at the University of Limerick, points out how the language of this hymn is drawn from traditional Irish culture: “One of the essential characteristics of the text is the use of ‘heroic’ imagery to describe God. This was very typical of medieval Irish poetry, which cast God as the ‘chieftain’ or ‘High King’ (Ard Ri) who provided protection to his people or clan. The lorica is one of the most popular forms of this kind of protection prayer and is very prevalent in texts of this period.”
1 Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
all else be nought to me, save that thou art—
thou my best thought, by day or by night,
waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
2 Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word;
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;
thou my great Father; thine own may I be;
thou in me dwelling, and I one with thee.
3 High King of heaven, when victory is won,
may I reach heaven’s joys, bright heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my heart, whatever befall,
still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
2. Today’s Prayers for the People include prayers from the Celtic tradition.
“We arise today through a mighty strength God’s power to guide us, God’s might to uphold us, God’s eyes to watch over us, God’s ear to hear us, God’s word to give us speech, God’s hand to guard us, God’s way to lie before us, God’s shield to shelter us, God’s host to secure us
“May the blessing of the earth be on us, soft under our feet as we pass along the roads, soft under us as we lie out on it, tired at the end of day; and may it rest easy over us when, at last, we lie out under it. May it rest so lightly over us that our souls may be out from under it quickly; up and off and on our way to God.
“We pray for righteousness in the heart, for if there is righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character. If there is beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the home. If there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation. If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world
“God, bless to us this day, God, bless to us this night. Bless, O bless, God of grace, each day and hour of our lives. God, bless the pathways on which we go. God, bless the earth that is beneath our feet. Bless, O God, and give to us your love, and bless, O God, our rest and our repose.”
3. Today’s blessing is a well known traditional Gaelic blessing.
“May the road rise up to meet you.
“May the wind be always at your back.
“May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
This blessing is about God’s blessing for your journey –
Celtic literature is famed for using images of nature and everyday life to speak of how God interacts with with His people.
The reference to the wind is thought to be a reference to the Holy Spirit, who came as a “mighty wind” at Pentecost.
The sun’s warmth alludes to God’s mercy which the New Testament (Luke 1:78, NIV) tells us “by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven.”
The mention of rain is thought to be symbolic of God’s provision – nothing will grow without rain.
