Celtic prayer

"As this day begins Christ be with us,
Be in our hearts and in our minds,
Be in our souls and in our spirits,
Be in our thoughts and in our desires.
As this day begins Christ walk beside us,
Show us the love only you can give,
Show us the light only you can provide,
Show us the wholeness only you can reveal.
As this day begins Christ surround us,
Circle us with your presence,
Keep protection near and danger far,
Bring us the assurance of your love."
- Celtic prayer

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tutu

"Goodness is stronger than evil.

Love is stronger than hate.

Light is stronger than darkness.

Life is stronger than death.

Victory is ours through Him who loved us."

- Archbishop Desmond Tutu

The Prayer of St. Columba

Be a bright flame before me, O God

a guiding star above me.

Be a smooth path below me,

a kindly shepherd behind me

today, tonight, and for ever.

Alone with none but you, my God

I journey on my way;

what need I fear when you are near,

O Lord of night and day?

More secure am I within your hand

than if a multitude did round me stand.

Amen.

My photo of the beach at Iona....

An Iona blessing

May God, who is present

in sunrise and nightfall,

and in the crossing of the sea,

guide your feet as you go.

May God,

who is with you when you sit

and when you stand,

encompass you with love

and lead you by the hand.

May God, who knows your path

and the places where you rest,

be with you in your waiting

be your good news for sharing,

and lead you in the way

that is everlasting.

- A blessing from Iona

My photo of a stone cross on Iona

Paperback

My book of short stories for telling to children is now available as a paperback as well as a ebook download. It is available at
https://www.createspace.com/4390919

Soon it will also be available on Amazon - it takes a while to sync with the ebook version.

the gift

In the gift of this new day,
in the gift of the present moment,
in the gift of time and eternity intertwined
let us be grateful
let us be attentive
let us be open to what has never happened before,
in the gift of this new day,
in the gift of the present moment,
in the gift of time and eternity intertwined.
- A Celtic prayer

Image courtesy of dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Ancient Celtic prayer

Be the eye of God dwelling with you, 
The foot of Christ in guidance with you, 
The shower of the Spirit pouring on you, 
Richly and generously. 
God's peace be to you, 
Jesus' peace be to you, 
Spirit's peace be to you 
And to your children, 
Oh to you and to your children, 
Each day and night 
Of your portion in the world. 
- Ancient Celtic prayer

Image courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Night prayer

In the coming hours of darkness
may there be light in our dreams.
In the stillness of sleep
may there be strength for our souls.
In the wakeful watches of night
may there be peace in our minds.
Light for new vision
strength to make sacrifice
peace for our world.
On the pathways of earth's journey this night
let there be peace.
- From Praying with the Earth: A Prayerbook for Peace

Image courtesy of Exsodus / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Irish prayer

Dear Lord,
Give me a few friends who will love me for what I am,
and keep ever burning before my vagrant steps the kindly light of hope…
And though I come not within sight of the castle of my dreams,
teach me to be thankful for life,
and for time’s olden memories that are good and sweet.
And may the evening’s twilight find me gentle still.
- An Irish prayer

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Syrian prayer

May God, the unsearchable abyss of peace, the ineffable sea of love,
the fountain of blessings, and the bestower of affection,
who sends peace to those that receive it,
open to you this day the sea of His love,
and water you with plenteous streams from the riches of His grace.
May God make you a child of quietness, and heir of peace.
May God enkindle in you the fire of His love.
May God strengthen your weakness with His power.
May God bind you and me and everyone else closely to Him and to each other in one firm and indissoluble bond of unity.
- Adapted from a prayer from the Syrian Clementine Liturgy

 Image courtesy of  xedos4 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net