March 17th & A Vital Prayer

Greetings,

While much of the world pretends to be Irish today, for those few of us who are Orangemen, March 17 has more than one meaning.  Even Orangemen appreciate the achievements of Patrick, who is, after all, far more Orangeman than Irish.  Patrick the slave who becomes the transformer of Irish culture, who converts the island to Christianity, and who thereby is responsible for the civilizing of much of the western world.  He died on March 17, 461.

            From the Confession of Saint Patrick:

            “I give unceasing thanks to my God, who kept me faithful in the day of my testing.  Today I can offer him sacrifice with confidence, giving myself as a living victim to Christ, my Lord, who kept me safe through all my trials.  I can say now: Who am I, Lord, and what is my calling, that you worked through me with such divine power?”

            It was on March 17, 1862, that the U. S. Treasury sanctioned the first two issues of greenbacks, in an effort to deal with counterfeit cash which was flooding the nation (North in the Civil War).

            The day is also the birth of several notable people.  Of local/personal interest are Roger Taney, Chief Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court, and Nat “King” Cole.

            March 17, 1938, Irkutsk in the Russian republic of the Soviet Union:  Rudolf Nureyev is born.  He became the most compelling ballet dancer of his era, perhaps of all time.  After defecting to the West, he eventually danced with the Royal Ballet in London.  With Margot Fonteyn he danced 'Giselle', 'Marguerite and Armand', and 'Swan Lake'.  I had the opportunity to see “Swan Lake” and “Giselle.”  He was not only the most skilled dancer I have ever seen, he was also the most artistic and musically expressive dancer.  Solo, or in his unbelievable duets with Dame Margot, he was the music, he was the complete expression of the power, emotion, and experience he danced.  His life gave renewed life to Dame Margot, some twenty years his senior, literally resurrecting her to new life so she danced as his equal.  The two of them together were beyond description.  The tapes cannot begin to convey the power of their performances, nor of his solo performances.

            Mikhail Baryshnikov rightly stands at the mountain top of dancers in this century, and far above in the clouds is Nureyev.

      I periodically return to this prayer by St. Patrick, especially in the midst of the tribulations of life.

The Prayer of St. Patrick

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.

I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me;
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's hosts to save me
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a multitude.

Christ shield me today
Against wounding
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through the mighty strength
Of the Lord of creation.

Yours & His,

DED