Saturday, March 17, 2007

The Wearin' O' the Green

This week I enjoyed a big St. Patrick's Day treat...going to see Riverdance perform live with my SIL! (Maybe I'll blog about that later.)

But here's what we did at home: We read about the life of St. Patrick (more here), and the kids each made a St. Patrick mini book, with The Breastplate of St. Patrick (below) as copywork. Then they learned to make shamrocks by tracing/drawing three hearts and adding a stem, and talked about why the shamrock is associated with St. Patrick. Later, we made these (very cute and easy) shamrock pins, and we've been busy learning to sing LSB #604, which is a musical setting of the Breastplate. (John Michael Talbot has also done one.)

For dinner it was corned beef and cabbage in the crock pot, chocolate Irish creme cheesecake, shamrock cookies (kid-made), and (for the adults) our favorite Irish beverages.
Readings
I came to the Irish people to preach the Gospel and endure the taunts of unbelievers, putting up with reproaches about my earthly pilgrimage, suffering many persecutions, even bondage, and losing my birthright of freedom for the benefit of others.

If I am worthy, I am ready also to give up my life, without hesitation and most willingly, for Christ's name. I want to spend myself for that country, even in death, if the Lord should grant me this favor.

It is among that people that I want to wait for the promise made by him, who assuredly never tells a lie. He makes this promise in the Gospel: "They shall come from the east and west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." This is our faith: believers are to come from the whole world.

from the Confession of Saint Patrick

Christ shield me this day:
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every person who thinks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me

Saint Patrick, from his breastplate

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