St. Patrick’s Day celebrates 5th-century Patrick who escaped from slavery in Ireland to his homeland of Wales. He returned to Ireland to share the Gospel as an ordained bishop of the Church. After his death he became the patron saint of Ireland.

One of my favorite Irish/Celtic prayers is the following–a version which John Michael Talbot sings on his 1984 album The  God of Life. The title of the song is God.

God to enfold me,
God to surround me,
God in my speaking,
God in my thinking.

God in my sleeping,
God in my waking,
God in my watching,
God in my hoping.

God in my life,
God in my lips,
God in my soul,
God in my heart.

God in my sufficing,
God in my slumber,
God in mine ever-living soul,
God in mine eternity.*

This is a “sitting with God” prayer in which the only shapes used are the clover leaf and arcs (flat U’s). Choosing just two shapes keeps my focus on the prayer and not on the drawing. The repetitiveness of drawing leaves and arcs helps me to be still on the inside.

* Prayer source—www.worldprayers.org