Prayer of St. Patrick

As I arise today,
may the strength of God pilot me,
the power of God uphold me,
the wisdom of God guide me.
May the eye of God look before me,
the ear of God hear me,
the word of God speak for me.
May the hand of God protect me,
the way of God lie before me,
the shield of God defend me,
the host of God save me.
May Christ shield me today.

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,
Christ when I stand,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
Amen

Abba Zeno said,

"If you want God to hear your prayer quickly, before you pray for anything else, even your own soul, when you stretch out your hands toward God pray with all your heart for your enemies. When you do this God will respect all that you ask."

By Way of the Desert, compiled and modernized by Bernard Bangley

Blog More - Done!

Alright. My first of the three Pre-New Year's resolutions is now complete with this post. I have blogged more (than last year in the first 30 days of January). Still working on blogging often and regularly.

So let's renew that resolution and let's make it blog even more.

Here are a couple series that I will be working on .

1. Markers on the Road. The first was "No Longer".

2. He/She said - They will each start like this first post did "John the Dwarf said,"

3. Book reviews - The first was "The book of the Shepherd"

4. Of course there will be blogs about Common Heart like this one "The Common.org and Common Heart."

If you would like to subscribe to my blog you can do it here, and you will receive each of my notes along the way in your email box.

John the Dwarf said,

"I can imagine someone embodying all Christian virtues. Rising every every morning at dawn, he would begin immediately to keep God's commandments. He would be patient, reverent, and selfless in God's love. With genuine humility, he would control soul and body. He would pray regularly and sincerely. Injury would not upset him. This virtuous person would never consider revenge and retaliation. He would not attempt to inflate his ego by criticizing others. He would live in lowliness of spirit, as one crucified. His hands would be busy with work, and he would not complain of deprivation. He would sense the nearness of death"

By Way of the Desert, compiled and modernized by Bernard Bangley

Wikipedia article on John the Dwarf.