Daily Primer — August 11, Travel from Glasgow to Iona — Scotland
Each day you will be given:
A Florilegium entry
A Daily Prayer
and a Night Prayer.
A Florilegium entry
A Daily Prayer
and a Night Prayer.
O you who pervades the heights,
Imprint on us your gracious blessing,
Carry us on the surface of the sea,
Carry us safely to a haven of peace,
Bless our boatmen and our boat,
Bless our anchors and our oars,
Each stay and halyard and traveller aboard.
Keep, O King of the elements, in their place
That we might may return home in peace;
I myself will sit down at the helm,
It is God’s own Son who will give me guidance,
As he gave to Columba the mild . . .
Mary, Bride, Michael, Paul
Peter, Gabriel, John of love,
Pour down from above the dew
That would make our faith to grow,
Establish us in the Rock of rocks
In every law that love exhibits,
That we may reach the land of glory,
Where peace and love, and mercy reign,
All vouchsafed to us through grace . . . Amen.
Imprint on us your gracious blessing,
Carry us on the surface of the sea,
Carry us safely to a haven of peace,
Bless our boatmen and our boat,
Bless our anchors and our oars,
Each stay and halyard and traveller aboard.
Keep, O King of the elements, in their place
That we might may return home in peace;
I myself will sit down at the helm,
It is God’s own Son who will give me guidance,
As he gave to Columba the mild . . .
Mary, Bride, Michael, Paul
Peter, Gabriel, John of love,
Pour down from above the dew
That would make our faith to grow,
Establish us in the Rock of rocks
In every law that love exhibits,
That we may reach the land of glory,
Where peace and love, and mercy reign,
All vouchsafed to us through grace . . . Amen.
Carmina Gadelica: Hymns & Incantations collected in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, Alexander Carmichael. Adapted by PHL from #118 The Ocean Blessing
Florilegium is the Medieval Latin word for bouquet, or more literally flowers (flos, flor-) which are gathered (legere). The word florilegium was used to refer to a compilation of writings, often religious or philosophical. These florilegium are literary flowers—beautiful words/prayers/thoughts I have gathered. During my sabbatical they will give me something to ponder each day. — PHL.
I arise today through the strength of heaven;
light of sun, radiance of moon,
splendor of fire, speed of lightning,
swiftness of wind, depth of sea,
stability of earth, firmness of 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 host to save me from snares of devils,
from temptation of vices,
from everyone who wishes me ill afar and a near
alone and in a multitude.
I summon today all these powers between me
and those evils:
Against every cruel merciless
power that may oppose my body and soul;
Against incantations and false prophets,
against black laws of Pagandom,
against false laws of heretics,
against craft of idolatry,
against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and
soul.
Christ to shield me today
against poison,
against burning,
against drowning,
against wounding,
so that there may come to me abundance of reward.
Christ with me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right hand,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when 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.
I arise today through a mighty strength,
the invocation of the Trinity:
Through belief in the Threeness,
through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of Creation.
light of sun, radiance of moon,
splendor of fire, speed of lightning,
swiftness of wind, depth of sea,
stability of earth, firmness of 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 host to save me from snares of devils,
from temptation of vices,
from everyone who wishes me ill afar and a near
alone and in a multitude.
I summon today all these powers between me
and those evils:
Against every cruel merciless
power that may oppose my body and soul;
Against incantations and false prophets,
against black laws of Pagandom,
against false laws of heretics,
against craft of idolatry,
against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and
soul.
Christ to shield me today
against poison,
against burning,
against drowning,
against wounding,
so that there may come to me abundance of reward.
Christ with me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right hand,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when 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.
I arise today through a mighty strength,
the invocation of the Trinity:
Through belief in the Threeness,
through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of Creation.
Though tradition ascribes this to St. Patrick (Ireland - 4th century CE) the language and style are more consistent with 8th century CE and scholars are inclined to place the composition of the prayer in the 8th century. I have lightly edited this prayer for inclusive language — PHL.
O God, for your love for us, warm and brooding,
which has brought us to birth and opened our eyes to the wonder and beauty of creation — we give you thanks.
For your love for us, wild and freeing,
which has awakened us to the energy of creation:
to the sap that flows,
the blood that pulses,
the heart that sings — we give you thanks.
For your love for us, compassionate and patient,
which has carried us through our pain,
wept beside us in our sin,
and waited with us in our confusion — we give you thanks.
For your love for us, strong and challenging,
which has called us to risk for you,
asked for the best in us,
and shown us how to serve — we give you thanks.
O God, we come to celebrate
that your Holy Spirit is present deep within us,
and at the heart of all life.
Forgive us when we forget your gift of love
made known to us in Jesus,
and draw us into your presence. Amen.
which has brought us to birth and opened our eyes to the wonder and beauty of creation — we give you thanks.
For your love for us, wild and freeing,
which has awakened us to the energy of creation:
to the sap that flows,
the blood that pulses,
the heart that sings — we give you thanks.
For your love for us, compassionate and patient,
which has carried us through our pain,
wept beside us in our sin,
and waited with us in our confusion — we give you thanks.
For your love for us, strong and challenging,
which has called us to risk for you,
asked for the best in us,
and shown us how to serve — we give you thanks.
O God, we come to celebrate
that your Holy Spirit is present deep within us,
and at the heart of all life.
Forgive us when we forget your gift of love
made known to us in Jesus,
and draw us into your presence. Amen.
adapted from an evening liturgy in Iona Abbey Worship Book, pp. 141-142.