'Be Thou My Vision'

In the Fifth century A.D. Saint Patrick came to the Hill of Slane in County Meath in an early on attempt to convert pagan Ireland to Christianity. On the eve of the Christian feast of Easter, 433 A.D. which coincides with the Druid feast of Bealtine (Beal's fire) and the Spring Equinox, St. Patrick lit a bonfire upon the Hill of Slane. There was a law that no fire should be lit in the vicinity when the great festival fire of Bealtine blazed at the Royal seat of power on the visibly nearby Hill of Tara. ....

The lighting of a fire seems trivial to us but at the time it was equivalent to declaring war on the Druids and their pagan beliefs and war against the King of Ireland. That small act of starting a fire was a turning point in St. Patrick's life and in the history of Ireland. The Hill of Slane is where Saint Patrick confronted Laoghaire (pronounced Leary) , the High King of Tara and all Ireland. Patrick lit the Easter fire contrary to the Druidic law, and changed the spiritual landscape of Ireland forever.

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart

Naught be all else to me save that thou art

Thou my best thought by day or by night

Waking or sleeping thy presence my light.

Be thou my wisdom, thou my true word

I ever with thee, thou with me,

LordThou my great Father,I thy true Son

Thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.

Be thou my battleshield, sword for the fight

Be thou my dignity, thou my delight

Thou my soul's shelter, thou my high tower

Raise thou me heavenward, O power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise

Thou mine inheritance, now and always

Thou and thou only, first in my heart

High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.

High King of heaven, after victory won

May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's sun

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall

Still be my vision, O ruler of all.

You can listen to this hymn by clicking it on my playlist at the bottom of my blog.