CELTIC PRAYER IN LENT

The cross at the top of St. Brigid's Holy Well, County Clare

PRAYING THE CELTIC WAY

One of the readers of this blog wished I had more Celtic stuff in it, and I agree, though I do think I put a Celtic slant on most anything I write.  None the less, he had a point so here's a little Lenten thought on Celtic prayer.  I'm trying to find a Celtic prayer of healing--that's hard to do since the Christian ones are place specific and ailment specific and full of lots of anachronistic words.  I need the prayer for a brochure for the sick we are doing.  So, instead, I'm going to do what I encourage you to do--use the Celtic form and do your own.  See what you think of this:

A Prayer for Healing

Father above,

Christ of love,

Holy Spirit healing dove,

Fill my heart, O Triune God.

 

From sickness heal;

From sorrow seal;

I beg as I kneel;

Fill my heart, O Triune God.

 

My body cleanse;

My soul defend;

My life whole again;

Fill my heart, O Triune God.

 

Mary lift me,

Michael carry me,

Brendan lead me,

Brigid hold me,

Patrick protect me,

Columba guide me,

To the perfect place,

Of healing grace,

Where I may see His Face,

And dwell In the heart of the Triune God. Amen.

 

The Celts had certain things that were always put in their prayer.  First of all--the indwelling Trinity.  Known to the Greeks as perichoresis, this dynamic concept of God meant that the Divinity was constantly in motion and its movement was love.  Like in John's Gospel where Jesus says, "The Father is in me and I am in the Father and we are one."  That indwelling Trinity was immanently present to the Celt.  In fact, he or she wished the Divine to dwell in one's heart so that a person could be surrounded by divine love.  Second--there is always a chant to the prayer, surely a holdover from the pagan Druids, but I am convinced it is what makes these prayers so powerful.  The people believed the words they prayed, and the cadence carried that belief.  Third--the idea that we are never alone.  That's why they always called upon their favorite saints--particularly the Blessed Virgin and St. Michael the Archangel as well as Sts. Brendan, Columba, Brigid and Patrick--the four great saints of Ireland.

   

Comments

[John Dornheim]

Very nice prayer, thank you.

[John Dornheim]

I think what you wrote is very good. Looking through my library last night, I found the following:
I found the following resources:
Prayers and blessings for sick in The Glenstal book of Prayer:
May the King of Sunday, my doctor
And Mary my physician in my illness,
and the holy cross, grant that without too great sorrow
I/you shall be parted from my illness.
(prayer by Richard Butler, 15th cent Anglo Norman poet

A chapter on St Winifrede (Patroness for Wounds and Healing) and healing in Holy Companions (formerly Praying with Celtic Saints)

Healing service in the Iona Abbey Worship Book

A service for Healing in A Celtic Liturgy

A chapter on healing in Every Earthly Blessing

From Carmina Gadelica
Thou, my soul’s healer,
Keep me at even,
Keep me at morning
Keep me at noon,
On a rough course faring,
Help and safeguard
My means this night.
I am tired, astray, and stumbling,
Shield Thou me from snare and sin.

[Michael Maedoc]

I like the reflection on Celtic prayer, especially the Trinitarian emphasis. This is what I find most attractive in the Celtic prayers.

What you have said about the chant intrigues me. Clearly the monastic culture would have fostered chant in Ireland. When you say the chant was a holdover from the druids are you speaking about the particular form of chant? If so, how is it different from or similar to Gregorian or Eastern Orthodox chant?

****chant was a poor choice of words, though I do think the druids did such a thing. I was referring more to cadence than musical notation. For the druids, as for other ancients, words had power and were said in particular ways in order to effect a change in something. Clearly, the Christian Celts felt the same. Just read these ancient prayers out loud and you will hear what I mean.

[Jeff Werner]

Thanks for the beautiful prayer for healing.
Okay if I use it this Sunday to close the congregation's pastoral prayers?

****Sure Jeff and God bless you in your ministry.