I arise today
Through a mighty strength,
the invocation of the Trinity
Through belief in the Threeness
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation. Amen.
The Lorica of Saint Patrick (St. Patrick's Breastplate Prayer)
And so we come full circle. The end is its beginning, just as it is with our Three-One God, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.
In Biblical studies, we call such bracketing around passages of Scripture an “inclusio” which signals to the hearer that everything in between the repeated lines must be interpreted in the context of the bracket. Consider Palm 8 as a simple illustration.
Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name throughout the earth!
Psalm 8:1 and Psalm 8:9.
Everything in between these verses unpacks the nature of God’s majesty from the perspective of the Psalmist. And so it is with our prayer. Everything we have prayed throughout this year long journey begins and ends with the Three-One God, the Creator of Creation. It is only through the mighty strength of our Creator that we can arise at all, let alone arise in or summon the many ways that strength manifests itself in our everyday lives. While the rest of the prayer shows us the characteristics of Christ’s strong presence in and with and through us, the beginning and the end point us back to the source.
The distinctiveness of the Celtic Cross is found in the addition of a circle at its center. In countless spiritual traditions including the pre-Christian religions of the Celtic people, the circle stands as a central symbol reminding us of the sun’s central role in sustaining life on earth. The circle also draws our attention to eternity, a reality which has no beginning and no end, and it reminds us that all life is connected in this infinite circle throughout time and space.
The “circle” of St. Patrick’s Breastplate prayer reminds us that the circle which binds all life together in eternity is not some mystical or metaphysical phenomenon or life-force flowing out of creation, but rather it is the eternal circle of the Three-One God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Father eternally speaks the Word into being and the Word eternally sends for the Holy Spirit by which all things and all persons are created.
As our journey through this prayer comes to an end, may it also be a new beginning. May you arise not only this day, but every day, through the mighty strength of the “eternal circle”, God, the giver and sustainer of life, whose mercies are new every morning and whose love and faithfulness, like the circle, knows no end.
In our end is our beginning; in our time, infinity;
In our doubt there is believing; in our life, eternity,
In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.Brett Piper, “Hymn of Promise.” United Methodist Hymnal #707
Reflections:
1. As the end of this journey calls you back to the beginning, reflect on how this prayer has shaped and influenced your experience of Christ’s presence in your everyday life.
2. How might the eternal circle at the center of the cross impact the way you understand the meaning and scope of Christ’s sacrifice?
3. “In the end is our beginning.” As your journey through this prayer comes to an end, to what new beginning do you sense God calling you?
Our journey through St. Patrick's Breastplate Prayer has come to an end. Click here to purchase the entire journey in Kindle or Paperback.
In the coming year, what “new beginnings” would you like to see on this blog? What would you find helpful in your spiritual journey as we learn together how to echo the still small voice of God?
Talk to me. I’d love to hear and connect with what God is doing in your life.
Blessings and Peace,
Craig
