Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart,
Naught is all else to me, save that Thou art,
Be Thou my best thought, in the day and the night,
Both waking and sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my wisdom, be Thou my true word
Be Thou ever with me, and I with Thee, Lord,
Be Thou my great Father, and I Thy true son,
Be Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight,
Be Thou my whole armour, be Thou my true might,
Be Thou my soul’s shelter, be Thou my strong Tower,
O raise Thou me heavenward, great Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Be Thou my inheritance now and always,
Be Thou and Thou only the first in my heart,
O Sovereign of Heaven, my treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, Thou Heaven’s bright Sun,
O grant me its joys after vict’ry is won,
Great Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be Thou my vision, O Ruler of all.
The Cry of the Deer
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 where I lie, Christ where I sit,
Christ where I arise,
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.
(Saint Patrick)
In St. Patrick’s own words;
After I came to Ireland—every day I had to tend sheep, and many times a day I prayed—the love of God and His fear came to me more and more, and my faith was strengthened. And my spirit was moved so that in a single day I would say as many as a hundred prayers, and almost as many in the night. . .
Challenge: Make an effort to pray, or listen to, this prayer of St. Patrick every day this week.