St Patrick’s Breastplate

DAILY BYTE

One of the things that I did before running the Comrades Marathon last year was to memorise an ancient prayer that is known as St Patrick’s Breastplate. Committing things to memory – like prayers, psalms, scripture passages and poems – is a wonderful way to have quick and ready access to nourishing words wherever you are. But it’s more than just a way to have access to information. Committing something to memory is a powerful way to allow those words to seep deeply into you and to become a part of you.

Memorisation was a discipline that was practiced consistently in the life of ancient Israel and throughout much of the church’s history. Sadly, it’s seldom practiced anymore. We live in an age of instant information, and certainly through the cellphones in our pockets we have access to just about anything that we wish to know. And yet, how much of this is truly a part of us? How much of it is truly ours? Memorising something – even a fairly lengthy passage – is not nearly as difficult as most people assume. It just takes a little time and perseverance. Try it, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. And the rewards are rich indeed.

Anyhow, to get back to St Patrick’s Breastplate.It’s a beautiful prayer that’s attributed to St Patrick from the 5th century that has been prayed by millions of Christians over the ages. It’s essentially a prayer for protection, hence its name. (It’s sometimes called The Lorica of St Patrick, because ‘lorica’ in Latin means breastplate.) The prayer talks about putting on (‘I bind unto myself’) various things that are part of the Christian story. In calling to mind the Trinity; the saving work of Christ; the work and witness of the heavenly host and the saints in glory; the natural world that God has made; the attributes of God and the pervasive presence of Christ, St Patrick was affirming that these are the things that are his daily protection. This is the breastplate that he puts on each day.

‘Armed’ with this prayer committed to memory, I took it with me last year as I ran the Comrades, and prayed it quietly over and over and over again as I ran. In the midst of everything else that was happening all around me – the cheering crowds, the chatter of fellow runners, the ever-changing landscape, the ticking of the clock, not to mention my wearying muscles – it became a beautiful reservoir of stillness and peace within me. It reminded me that I was not alone – not just because Christ was with me, but also because in praying it I sensed the camaraderie of those countless Comrades in the faith who had also prayed this prayer over the ages, who were cheering me on as I prayed and ran.

Tomorrow I’ll explore a particular section of the prayer that is especially fitting for those who are runners. Maybe you know of someone who is running the Comrades that you can send it to. But for now, let me share the entire prayer with you in the hope that you might pray it as your own, and maybe even take the time to commit it to memory. (There are different versions of the prayer. This one is a hymnic version written by Cecil Frances Alexander in 1889.)

St Patrick’s Breastplate

I bind unto myself today
The strong name of the Trinity
By invocation of the same
The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this day, to me, forever,
By power of faith Christ’s incarnation
His baptism in the Jordan River
His death on the cross for my salvation
His bursting from the spiced tomb
His riding up the heavenly way
His coming at the day of doom
I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself the power
of the great love of Cherubim
The sweet ‘Well done’ in judgement hour
The service of the Seraphim
Confessors’ faith, Apostles’ word
The Patriarchs’ prayers, the Prophets’ scrolls
All good deeds done unto the Lord
And purity of virgin souls.

I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the starlight heaven
The glorious sun’s life-giving ray
The whiteness of the moon at even
The flashing of the lightning free
The whirling wind’s tempestuous shocks
The stable earth, the deep salt sea
Around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead
His eye to watch, his might to stay
His ear to hearken to my need
The wisdom of my God to teach
His hand to guide, his shield to ward
The Word of God to give me speech
His heavenly host to be my guard.

Christ be with me, Christ within me
Christ behind me, Christ before me
Christ beside me, Christ to win me
Christ to comfort and restore me
Christ beneath me, Christ above me
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger
Christ in hearts of all that love me
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger

I bind unto myself the name
The strong name of the Trinity
By invocation of the same
The Three in One and One in Three
By whom all nature hath creation
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word.
Praise to the Lord of my salvation
Salvation is through Christ the Lord. Amen