Morning Prayer with St. Patrick

We have entered into the season of the Church Year called "Lent." The name Lent comes from an old word, "Lencten," which originally referred to that time of year in the Northern Hemisphere when the days began to lengthen. This corresponded with the liturgical season after Epiphany and before Holy Week and Easter. And so, the season of "Lengthening" became simply the season of Lent.


Lent is a period of 40 days of fasting before Holy Week, not counting Sundays, which are Feast days always, celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus. The period of 40 days of fasting corresponds to the 40 days Jesus fasted and prayed in the wilderness before beginning his ministry.


This year during Lent, our church will begin the day with a short service of Morning Prayer in the main Sanctuary, at 8:00 a.m. The service is derived from what is traditionally called St. Patrick's Lorica, a very lyrical and powerful prayer summoning the basic tenets of Christian faith and the elements of the world together for strength and protection. I have adapted the Lorica for this service of prayer. This is the text:



Gather in Silence
Opening Words
Leader:
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.
People:
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 all peoples.


Song



Invocation
Leader: 
I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs and matriarchs,
In preachings of the apostles,
In faiths of confessors,
In innocence of virgins,
In deeds of righteous men and women.
People:
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. 


Scripture reading
Sharing
Silent reflection


Prayer for Protection
Leader: I arise today Through God's strength to pilot me; God's might to uphold me,      
People:  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 from snares of the devil, 
From temptations of vices,    
From every one who desires me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a multitude.




Prayer for the World
ALL:
(Everyone is invited to speak aloud names of places and peoples in the world)
I summon today all these powers between our world and evil,
Against every cruel merciless power that opposes body and soul,
Against prayers and preaching of prophets of falsehood,
Against laws which suppress the soul and spirit,
Against doctrines and teachings that spread hate and discord,
Against the powers of idolatry,
Against every knowledge that corrupts the body and soul.
Christ shield our world today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
Against bombing, against hunger,
Against earthquakes, against devastating storms,
So that fullness of life may come to all in abundance.


Song


Sending Forth
Leader:  Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, 
People:  Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, 
Leader:  Christ on my right, Christ on my left, 
People:  Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Leader:  Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
People:  Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Leader:  Christ in the eye that sees me,
People:  Christ in the ear that hears me.  




ALL:
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.

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