(My faith is an important part of my life. I do not set up my life or my beliefs as anything other than my understanding of the Divine. If they shine some tiny light on your journey then I will be happy for us both. YMMV)
A few years ago, I was given the chance to take a sabbatical. If you’re not familiar with the term, it is time away from the job that is often associated with some course of study or self-improvement. It’s not a vacation, but a time to recharge batteries while you grow professionally. It was an amazing time for me.
My study was on some of the foundations for prayer in the Anglican tradition. This was new territory for me, as the churches I grew up in didn’t spend much time on things like this. As a youth minister, I was growing concerned about some of the gaps in the faith foundations of many of the young people in my ministries. Those same gaps were evident in a lot of adults as well. So, this was “removing the plank” in my own eye time.
I learned a lot during that sabbatical. I continue to be fascinated by the Rule of St. Benedict, a system of living designed for monastics. I expected it to be austere and perhaps a little grim. Instead, it was concise and even a bit funny. There’s a rule for what to do when your superior tells you to do an impossible task! Benedict knew real life.
Then there’s Julian of Norwich, one of the great English mystics. Her reminder that “All will be well” has become a touchstone in times of trouble.
But I particularly fell in love with a prayer, The Lorica of Saint Fursa. A lorica is a protective prayer. Probably the best known is “Saint Patrick’s Breastplate”.
We don’t know much about Fursa (also called Fursey). Legend tells us that he might have been an Irishman who came to England. The stories say that he was respected for his holiness.
What strikes me about this prayer is how it involves all the senses. This isn’t a prayer solely from the mind or heart. It is an all-encompassing sensory response to God’s presence. This is the immanent Divine, surrounding us in all things and at all times. That we can engage with the holy through any and all of our senses is a tradition of long standing. I think it’s one that the modern church seems to forget. We do sight and sound and don’t consider anything else. There is a richness that is lost along the way.
This prayer is a wonderful expression of my understanding of the Divine. No part of us is apart from the relationship. No part escapes God’s attention. That’s pretty cool, I think.
The Lorica of St. Fursa
The arms of God be around my shoulders,
the touch of the Holy Spirit upon my head,
the sign of Christ’s cross upon my forehead,
the sound of the Holy Spirit in my ears,
the fragrance of the Holy Spirit in my nostrils,
the vision of heaven’s company in my eyes,
the conversation of heaven’s company on my lips,
the work of God’s church in my hands,
the service of God and the neighbor in my feet,
a home for God in my heart,
and to God, the Father of all, my entire being.
Peace
J
Stories Are My Life 
Reading this as an Orthodox Christian I can tell you that whatever ‘tradition’ it is that you belong to is severely impoverished, my friend, as you seem to instinctively realise. The faith is lived in and as the entire person. I know that I have heard, many times, protestants of varying backgrounds express suspicion and mockery even concerning the ‘smells and bells’ of Roman Catholicism, which I have always found to be so depressingly ironic. We may not be in total agreement with various facets of Roman Catholicism but, in the West, they maintain a depth of knowledge and experience of authentic Christianity that you should be seeking to drink from and imbibe. My dear friend, if you have the opportunity, attend an Eastern Orthodox Divine Liturgy and you will be utterly transformed – you will be in the presence of what you are instinctively recognising in your heart. It is yours, after all.
Your brother in Christ, Athanasi.
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Glad you enjoyed the piece. My tradition is rooted in Anglicanism (as I say in the post), which means we have our feet firmly planted in both the catholic and protestant worlds. My love for the lorica is not so much because it fills a “hole” in my faith life, as it is a wonderful expression of my understanding of the Divine. Thanks for stopping by. Peace
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