March, a time to celebrate Celtic heritage, and the coming of Spring!

Hello everyone! Welcome to March! I always start to get excited this month! With the beginning of snows melting, the birds start to sing. The air has a sharp, and blustery feel to it, which makes me feel something great is about to happen!

In addition to this, our family is celebrating our rich heritage all month long. On March 17th people celebrate St. Patrick. He was born in Scotland, but traveled to the “Emerald Isle” to be a missionary to the Irish peoples who were lost in pagan druidism. He spread the gospel, and introduced the Irish to the One True God, their Creator. He explained about the Trinity-how the Lord is One, in 3 Persons. The Christian culture in Ireland is due to the Holy Spirit’s work on the hearts of the people, largely through the efforts of Patrick, the Lord’s messenger. He was also catholic, which explains why the Irish are famous for catholicism.

Here is a poem, written by Patrick, which I think sums it up well.

The Lorica of St Patrick

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness 
Of the Creator of creation. 

I arise today 
Through the strength of Christ’s birth and His baptism, 
Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial, 
Through the strength of His resurrection and His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs, 
In preachings of the apostles,
In faiths of confessors,
In innocence of virgins,
In deeds of righteous men. 

I arise today through the strength of Heaven
the rays of the sun,
the radiance of the moon,
the splendor of fire,
the speed of lightening,
the swiftness of the wind,
the depth of the sea,
the stability of the earth
the firmness of rock.

I arise today through the power of God:
God’s might to comfort 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 lead me, 
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s Heavenly Host to save me
from the snares of the devil,
from temptations to sin,
from all who wish me ill,
from near and afar,
alone and with others.

May Christ shield me today
against poison and fire,
against drowning and wounding,
so that I may fulfill my mission
and bear fruit in abundance.
Christ behind and before me,
Christ behind and above me,
Christ with me and in me, 
Christ around and about me,
Christ on my right and on my left,
Christ when I lie down at night,
Christ when I rise in the morning,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone that speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

Our family came from Scotland, but we were the protestants. We settled in northern Ireland. But we still celebrate St. Patrick’s day, after all it is a day to be Irish, and who doesn’t want to be Irish! 😉 We just wear orange instead of green. 🙂

Miriam teaches traditional Irish and Scottish folk dancing, and we love sharing this with local nursing homes and assisted livings. Our brothers play multiple different traditional Celtic instruments ranging from the bag pipes to the low whistle. Miriam plays the Mountain dulcimer, which is an Appalachian folk instrument designed to imitate the bagpipes, created in the region where the Celts settled. I play the harp, and Lydia is also talented with the guitar and a mini mountain dulcimer, called a strum stick. Our parents passed on a love of these instruments, and of music, and our home is surrounded by Scottish and Irish singing and music. On St. Patrick’s day, we of course have the full out American-Irish meal of Irish soda bread, corned beef and cabbage, colcannon and boxty, and an Irish dessert.

We enjoy the magical folk lore of leprechauns, gold , and pixies. But what enchants our hearts the most is the lush and green rolling hills, the heathered moors, the rocky deep blue coasts, the sweet but simple sheep and potato farms, and the brave faith of the Scotch-Irish presbyterians.

A very old Irish hymn:

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart,
be all else but naught 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 armor, 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 mine 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 victory is won;
great Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
still be thou my vision, O Ruler of all.

An old Irish blessing:

May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face

May the rain fall softly on your fields
And until we meet again
May you keep safe
In the gentle loving arms of God

For everything there is a season
A time for meeting
A time to say goodye
In all things
God is near
Always guiding your way

May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face
May the rain fall softly on your fields
And until we meet again
May you keep safe
In the gentle loving arms of God

For everything there is a season
A time for laughter
A time for tears and pain
In all things
God is near
Always guiding your way

May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face
May the rain fall softly on your fields
And until we meet again
May you keep safe
In the gentle loving arms of God