Celtic Christianity

For me St. Patrick's Day is always a reminder of the Celtic Christian tradition which has been rekindled and redisovered in recent years. It is a creative, earth-honouring, less hierarchical approach to the community of faith which is so old that is new again.

I like the prayers and blessings which were created for every aspect of life, a willingness to find the holy and extraordinary in the midst of the mundane and ordinary. Below is a portion of a "hatching prayer" which caught my attention after seeing the chickens of our friends on the weekend and enjoying the eggs we purchased from them since our return.

I Will rise early on the morning of Monday,

I will sing my rune and rhyme,

I will go sunwise with my cog

To the nest of my hen with sure intent.

I will place my left hand to my breast,

My right hand to my heart,

I will seek the loving wisdom of Him

Abundant in grace, in broods, and in flocks.

I will close my two eyes quickly,

As in blind-man's buff moving slowly;

I will stretch my left hand over thither

To the nest of my hen on yonder side.

Do you recognize St. Patrick's Day in any way? Anything Irish? A prayer or a pint of Guiness, or both?