In a 1948 speech to the House of Commons, Winston Churchill paraphrased George Santyana’s quote when he said “those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it.” It is good to recall what those who have gone before have left us with a legacy of wisdom.
Some of the wisest words we need to be reminded of as we face each new day’s challenges are those of the saints, who faced many challenges themselves. Since we are near St. Patrick’s Day (patron Saint of Ireland and of Nigeria) it is appropriate to reflect on some of his quotes as well as to remember the full life he lived that birthed the quotes.
St. Patrick said: “Then the Lord opened my mind and senses … He watched over me and protected me before I knew him (God) and before I was wise enough to distinguish between good and evil. He strengthened and comforted me as a father consoles a son.”
St. Patrick made the profound discovery that long before he knew God that God knew and cared for him. That changed his world view and life completely.
Prayer
There is also a prayer, perhaps inspired by St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians 6:10-20, that he no doubt regularly prayed entitled St. Patrick’s Breastplate. It is a prayer that is useful to be prayed every day as we recommit ourselves to God.
It is based on the image of spiritual warfare and preparing for it by putting on the armour of God. The spiritual armour we put on will equip us and enable us to defeat the evil and danger that challenges us daily.
As you read it I invite you to mentally put on the armour so you may keep equipped to resist all the temptations of the day like the saint of old.
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.
He begins the prayer to Christ consciously locating Christ all around him and within him. Our prayer time also ought to centre on Christ as well. We are not alone in our decision making or in the actions we take. Christ behind me, Christ before me
Then he reminds himself of Christ’s protection saying: Christ beside me, Christ to win me, He has already won us at the cross when he died to remove our sin. And so he comforts us with this gospel and where we have failed we are restored to try again. He is beside us because he took on humanity as Jesus and understands what it is to be human. He understands how to comfort and how to restore us
Christ is said to be beneath us and above us since he is creator of all things and nothing exists apart from him. He can go to rescue us from hell and he is the sovereign God who teaches us to pray that his perfect will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Christ is with us in quiet – in peacetime and in prosperous times – but also in danger, to encourage us and assist us.
We are also to pray for Christ to be in the hearts of all that love us so that their love may be perfected and build us in hope and faith, courage and generosity.
We pray that all we meet, both friend and stranger, may speak with the lips of Jesus to bring blessing and peace.
Let me encourage you, not only on St. Patrick’s day but for a longer season, to reflect on this wisdom and prayer of the great saint and you may find yourself strengthened and empowered to go out into the world unafraid and equipped to face whatever confronts you.
Christ be with us all.
By Rev. Calvin Brown