St. Patrick's Day Greetings from Pastor Jim
Dear Donway family,
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Our celebrations are a bit different this year, but as we look at the life of Patrick, we see someone who endured adversity with the Lord’s help. Below is a little prayer service that you can do to reflect on how God used his servant Patrick.
Patrick of Ireland (389 – 461)
At the age of sixteen, Patrick was kidnapped from his home by Irish marauders and taken to Ireland, where he was sold as a slave to a chieftain and forced to herd livestock. After six years of slavery, Patrick escaped to his native Britain. Because he believed that his captivity and deliverance were ordained by God, Patrick devoted his life to ministry. While studying for the priesthood, he experienced recurring dreams in which he heard voices say, “O holy youth, come back to Erin and walk once more amongst us.” He convinced his superiors to let him return to Ireland in 432, not to seek revenge for injustice but to seek reconciliation and to spread his faith. Over the next thirty years, Patrick established churches and monastic communities across Ireland. When he was not engaged in the work of spreading the Christian faith, Patrick spent his time praying in his favourite places of solitude and retreat.
Prayer
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun,
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.
Amen.
Song
Be Thou My Vision
Gaelic
English
Psalm 91
1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
3 Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.
9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14 “Because he[b] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
This prayer is attributed to Patrick:
Christ be with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
Prayers for Others
- Pray for Anjali’s Dad who is flying back to India today. Pray that he would have a safe flight and have good health and strength for the long journey.
- Pray for our front-line health workers. Pray for their safety and protection.
- Pray for our elderly and all who are vulnerable. Pray that they would be protected and cared for at this time
- Pray for your family, friends, and neighbours.
Closing Prayer
Lord, if only we made ourselves as open and available as Patrick did, who knows what you might do through us! Speak to us in visions and dreams, make your will known to us, and be patient with us. Amen.
Blessing
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you;
may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;
may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;