St. Patrick's Day

And now, because it's St. Patrick's Day, Mr. John Belushi is here to discuss "The Luck of the Irish."

Thank you, thank you very much. Well, it's that time again, St. Patrick's Day has come and gone and well, the sons of Ireland are basking in the glow. Y'know, when I think of Ireland I think a lot of colorful Irish expressions like, "Top of the morning to ya," "Kiss the barney stone," "May the road rise to meet ya," "May you be in heaven an hour before the devil knows you're dead," "I'd like to smash you in the face with my shillelagh," "Danny-boy," "Begorrah," "Wail of the banshee," and "Whiskey for the leprechauns, whisky for the leprechauns." But the expression I think most people identify with the Irish, is, of course, the luck of the Irish...

If you want to know how it ends, you'll have to watch the whole skit; I can't do Belushi justice here. But now for some authentic St. Patrick (gather 'round, children.) St. Patrick was newly arrived in Ireland in the year 433 when the eve of Easter Sunday coincided with the pagan feast of Beltaine. On the hill of Slane, visible across the valley from the High King's seat on the Hill of Tara, he and his followers kindled the paschal flame in defiance of the royal edict that no fire be lit on that night except the bonfire of the Druids. "If that fire is not put out this night," warned the Druids, "it will never be extinguished in the whole of Ireland." During that night Patrick and his followers chanted the Faed Fiada or "Deer's Cry" for protection, so named because the soldiers of King Laoghaire, sent to arrest the violators of the edict and put out the fire, saw only a mother doe and her fawns. The prayer also known as the Lorica or "St. Patrick's Breastplate". The Paschal fire was not extinguished that night and the next day, Easter Sunday, Patrick obtained permission from Laoghaire to preach Christianity in Ireland. The rest, as they say, is history. St. Patrick, ora pro nobis.

I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity:
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.

I bind to myself today
The virtue of the Incarnation of Christ with His Baptism,
The virtue of His crucifixion with His burial,
The virtue of His Resurrection with His Ascension,
The virtue of His coming on the Judgement Day.

I bind to myself today
The virtue of the love of seraphim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the hope of resurrection unto reward,
In prayers of Patriarchs,
In predictions of Prophets,
In preaching of Apostles,
In faith of Confessors,
In purity of holy Virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I bind to myself today
The power of Heaven,
The light of the sun,
The brightness of the moon,
The splendour of fire,
The flashing of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of sea,
The stability of earth,
The compactness of rocks.

I bind to myself today
God's Power to guide me,
God's Might to uphold me,
God's Wisdom to teach me,
God's Eye to watch over me,
God's Ear to hear me,
God's Word to give me speech,
God's Hand to guide me,
God's Way to lie before me,
God's Shield to shelter me,
God's Host to secure me,
Against the snares of demons,
Against the seductions of vices,
Against the lusts of nature,
Against everyone who meditates injury to me,
Whether far or near,
Whether few or with many.

I invoke today all these virtues
Against every hostile merciless power
Which may assail my body and my soul,
Against the incantations of false prophets,
Against the black laws of heathenism,
Against the false laws of heresy,
Against the deceits of idolatry,
Against the spells of witches, and smiths, and druids,
Against every knowledge that binds the soul of man.

Christ, protect me today
Against every poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against death-wound,
That I may receive abundant reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of an invocation of the Trinity,
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.