S U N D A Y   S N I P P E T S (tm) # 6 2                   17 March '96

Today is the day remembered by all Irishdom as Saint Patrick's Day.  The
British-born Patrick (c.389-461) travelled to Ireland in 432 to become a 
missionary to the Celts, a mission that was blessed with overwhelming 
success.

I include for this weeks' Snippet a portion of an old Irish-Gaelic hymn that 
some call `St. Patrick Breastplate' :

        I bind unto myself to-day
           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.

        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.

                                - transl. 1889 by Cecil F. Alexander


Rather than `celebrate' St. Patrick's Day with drinking, carousing, and 
self-indulgence, honour Patrick's memory with prayer for a missionary
in a foreign land, labouring for the Gospel with the same spirit as Patrick.

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file: /pub/resources/text/sunday.snippets: snip96-062.txt
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