In Hunting Magic Eels, I describe the lorica prayers from the Celtic monastic tradition. Lorica prayers are prayers of protection. The Latin lorica means "breastplate" or "armor." The most famous of the lorica prayers is the one attributed to St. Patrick, a part of which reads:
The Power of God to guide me,As Anne Lamott has written, our prayers gather around three words, Help, Thanks and Wow. Lorica prayers--"You, O Lord, are a shield around me"--are prayers of help, prayers of protection.
The Might of God to uphold me,
The Wisdom of God to teach me,
The Eye of God to watch over me,
The Ear of God to hear me,
The Word of God to give me speech,
The Hand of God to protect me,
The Way of God to prevent me,
The Shield of God to shelter me,
The Host of God to defend me,
Against the snares of demons,
Against the temptations of vices,
Against the lusts of nature,
Against every man who meditates injury to me,
Whether far or near,
With few or with many.
Bishop Robert Barron, taking an insight from Charles Taylor, describes what he calls "knocking holes in the buffered self." According to Charles Taylor, the modern self is "buffered," closed off from external realities, especially spiritual realities. Consequently, the modern self feels itself to be autonomous and secure within itself, lacking the sharp sense of vulnerability intrinsic to finite, creaturely existence. To "knock holes" in the buffered self is to open it back up to larger realities.
Critical to this, as I describe in Hunting Magic Eels, is recognizing and embracing our neediness and dependencies. Lorica prayers, prayers of help and petitions for protection, are tools that can foster this recognition. Beginning your day with the prayer "You, O Lord, are a shield around me" knocks a hole in your buffered self and places you in a vulnerable posture.
Simply ask for help. Pray for aid and protection. Ask regularly. "You, O Lord, are shield around me." Such prayers restructure your ego and knock holes in your buffered self.
