Daily Primer — August 4, Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides — 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.
The Pilgrim’s Rune
King of the Elements — Love-Father of Bliss,
In my pilgrimage from airt to airt,
From airt to airt.
May each evil be a good to me,
May each sorrow be a gladness to me,
And may Thy Son be my foster-brother,
Oh may Thy Son be my foster-brother.
Holy Spirit—Spirit of Light,
A pilgrim I throughout the night,
Throughout the night,
Lave my heart pure as the stars,
Lave my heart as pure as the stars,
Nor fear I then the spells of evil
The spells of evil.
Jesu—Son of the Virgin pure,
Be thou my pilgrim-staff throughout the lands,
Throughout the lands,
Thy love in all my thoughts, Thy likeness in my face,
May I heart-warm to others, and may they heart-warm to
me,
For love of the love of Thee,
For love of the love of Thee.
King of the Elements — Love-Father of Bliss,
In my pilgrimage from airt to airt,
From airt to airt.
May each evil be a good to me,
May each sorrow be a gladness to me,
And may Thy Son be my foster-brother,
Oh may Thy Son be my foster-brother.
Holy Spirit—Spirit of Light,
A pilgrim I throughout the night,
Throughout the night,
Lave my heart pure as the stars,
Lave my heart as pure as the stars,
Nor fear I then the spells of evil
The spells of evil.
Jesu—Son of the Virgin pure,
Be thou my pilgrim-staff throughout the lands,
Throughout the lands,
Thy love in all my thoughts, Thy likeness in my face,
May I heart-warm to others, and may they heart-warm to
me,
For love of the love of Thee,
For love of the love of Thee.
Taken from The Road to the Isles: Poetry, Lore, & Tradition of the Hebrides collected by Kenneth Macleod, p.24. (published in Edinburgh in 1933). “airt” is from 15th century Scottish Gaelic and means “compass point.”
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.
Before, behind, beneath,
Creation, conception, birth, redemption
This prayer, this moment: Creator’s Spirit.
Holy Spirit,
Infinitude
Eternally pouring fourth,
Energy of Love
Sustaining the universe.
Come
Creator Spirit
Conceiving Spirit
Initiating Spirit
Life-giving
Birth Giving Spirit
Life-Breath of Love.
Holy Spirit
Your blessed unction from above
Is fire of Love.
Creation, conception, birth, redemption
This prayer, this moment: Creator’s Spirit.
Holy Spirit,
Infinitude
Eternally pouring fourth,
Energy of Love
Sustaining the universe.
Come
Creator Spirit
Conceiving Spirit
Initiating Spirit
Life-giving
Birth Giving Spirit
Life-Breath of Love.
Holy Spirit
Your blessed unction from above
Is fire of Love.
adapted from Veni Creator Spiritus, as published in A Welsh Pilgrim’s Manual by Brendan O’Malley.
God, shielding this house, the fire, the kine,
Everyone who dwells herein tonight.
Shield myself and my beloved group,
Preserve us from violence and from harm;
Preserve us from foes this night,
For the sake of the Son of the Mary Mother,
In this place, and in every place wherein they dwell
tonight,
On this night and on every night,
This night and every night.
Everyone who dwells herein tonight.
Shield myself and my beloved group,
Preserve us from violence and from harm;
Preserve us from foes this night,
For the sake of the Son of the Mary Mother,
In this place, and in every place wherein they dwell
tonight,
On this night and on every night,
This night and every night.
Carmina Gadelica: Hymns & Incantations collected in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, Alexander Carmichael. - #43 A Resting Prayer.