I will kindle my fire this morning
in the presence of Brigit and her holy women.
Brigit, kindle in my heart within
a flame of love to my neighbour
to my foe, to my friend, to my kindred all
to the brave, to the knave, to the thrall
without malice, without jealousy, without envy,
without fear
without terror of anyone under the sun.
This is a reworked Scottish prayer. The
original was collected in the Carmina
Gadelica by Alexander Carmichael. I made the changes out of a desire to
have a prayer I could use when I lit the flame at the start of my shift. The tune
arose spontaneously as I recited the prayer.
Original
Prayer:
I WILL kindle my fire this
morning
In presence of the holy angels
of heaven,
In presence of Ariel of the
loveliest form,
In presence of Uriel of the
myriad charms,
Without malice, without
jealousy, without envy,
Without fear, without terror of
any one under the sun,
But the Holy Son of God to
shield me.
Without malice, without
jealousy, without envy,
Without fear, without
terror of any one under the sun,
But the Holy Son of God to
shield me.
God, kindle Thou in my heart
within
A flame of love to my
neighbour,
To my foe, to my friend, to my
kindred all,
To the brave, to the knave, to
the thrall,
O Son of the loveliest Mary,
From the lowliest thing that
liveth,
To the Name that is highest of
all.
O Son of the loveliest Mary,
From the lowliest thing
that liveth,
To the Name that is
highest of all.
Source: Carmina Gadelica, Volume 1, by Alexander Carmichael, [1900], at
sacred-texts.com, pg 231. Modified by Mael Brigde.
Image: Deutsch: “Bäuerin, am Herdfeuer
sitzend”, English: “Peasant-woman sitting at the Hearth-fire”, by Vincent van
Gogh (1853–1890) (Wikimedia).
