#108

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Oh yeah! Can you guess how awesome my day was?!

We had a pretty great party, like our Valentine's day party but better! Because it was all about green! Super fun times. PB& mint jelly sandwiches, grapes, kiwi, baked potatoes for the adults, green juice, green cookies and cupcakes and candies! The only downside was my girls being super whiny, and then just losing it in the end. Nap time wrapped up the party.

And, now for the main event... St Patrick himself!

St. Patrick was not Irish. He was British. When he was 16, he was kidnapped by the Irish and sold into slavery in Ireland. For six years he worked as a shepherd. He escaped, to France or Britain. Became a priest. And a bishop. And WILLINGLY went back to the country that had enslaved him! Seriously!

It is said he drove the snakes out of Ireland. Critics will tell you there were no snakes in Ireland to begin with. Well, how often is the Devil portrayed as a serpent?? Patrick preached the Gospel to this country, many of them heard about the Holy Trinity for the first time. And it is also said that he used the shamrock to illustrate the Trinity.

The amazing bishop was laid to rest in Ulster. In case you do not know about Ulster- it is, and has been for centuries, a land of strife in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland isn't even part off Ireland. The Brits and the Irish, the 'Papists' and the 'Prods', they feud over this northern county of the Emerald Isle. And yet, the body of the patron saint of Ireland is there... Interesting...

And here is St Patrick's breastplate. I hope you all had a blessed St Patrick's Day!

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 for ever.
By power of faith, Christ's incarnation;
His baptism in the Jordan river;
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd 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 the cherubim;
The sweet 'well done' in judgment 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 starlit 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.
Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility,
I bind to me these holy powers.
Against all Satan's spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart's idolatry,
Against the wizard's evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave and the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.
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,
Of Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.