I Open my Heart (Celtic Prayer)

I open my heart 

to Christ in the stranger,

to Christ in the guise

of a colleague in anger

I open my heart

to the one who is wounded, 

to Christ in the hungry,

the lonely, the homeless.

Poem taken from 40 Prayers of Celtic Christianity

Lead Me From That Which Binds (Celtic prayer)

Lead me from that which binds

to that which frees.

Lead me from that which cramps

to that which creates.

Lead me from that which lies

to that which speaks truth.

Lead me from that which blights

to that which ennobles.

Lead me from that which hides

to that which celebrates.

Lead me from that which fades

to that which endures.

by Ray Simpson 

40 Prayers from Celtic Christianity

 

A spring blessing

Bless to me, O God, 

Each thing my eye sees; 

Bless to me, O God, 

Each sound my ear hears; 

Bless to me, O God,

Each odor that goes to my nostrils; 

Bless to me, O God, 

Each taste that goes to my lips; 

Each note that goes to my song,

Each ray that guides my way.

--Carmina Gadelica, III, 33

Early in the Morning (Celtic Prayer)

Early in the morning

I wait on you, O Lord; 

Day by day I toil for you, O Lord; 

At the bright noon-day

I recollect you, O Lord; 

In talk and recreation

I enjoy you, O Lord;

In study and in prayer

I learn of you, O Lord; 

At nightfall and in sleep

I rest in you, O Lord.

Poem taken from 40 Prayers from Celtic Christianity

Sunday Inspiration: Happy Easter!

Easter

Bless this day

When light returns, 

Love astounds, Life prevails.

Bless the grieving, 

The lonely, 

The hungry. 

Hope is reborn.

Bless the young ones

And the old.

Bless the enemies

And those despised.

Bless this wrold,

Gripped by violence. 

Peace returns. 

God makes a way

Where there was no way. 

Christ has risen. 

Allelulia

--Beth Richardson, Christ Beside Me, Christ Within Me

Lord, You are My Island (Celtic prayer)

Lord, you are my island. 

In your bosom I rest. 

You are the calm of the sea. 

In that peace I lie. 

You are the deep waves of the ocean.

In their depths I stay. 

You are the silence of the spheres. 

In that space I live. 

You are the smooth white strand of the shore.

In its swell I sing. 

You are the ocean of life that laps my being. 

You are the Lord of my life. 

In you is my eternal joy.

Poem taken from 40 Prayers from Celtic Christianity

St. Patrick's blessing

Did you know that this blessing, which you may be familiar with, is attributed to St. Patrick?

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

I Welcome the Created Light of this New Day (Celtic Poem)

I welcome the created light of this new day,

So that I may enter more fully

Into the uncreated light of eternity;

I welcome the wind

That blows away all that is not rooted, 

So that I may enter unencumbered,

Into the Source of all;

I welcome the dark storm clouds, 

So that I may never make light

Of the mysterious Presence; 

I welcome the cold,

so that I may always search

for the warming fire of God's love.

Poem taken from 40 Prayers from Celtic Christianity. 

Lord teach me ...

Lord teach me

That your plan unfolds

As I follow the desires you put in my soul. 

As I follow the way of unselfish service.

And as I let one thing lead to another. 

--The Celtic book of Days 

by Ray Simpson

May you know love ...

God with me through the day

Great Spirit, Wild Goose of the Almighty (Celtic Prayer)