Celtic Blessings: Prayers for Everyday Life

n Contents

Introduction xiii

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Everyday Blessings 1

Family and Friends 2

Fathers 2, Mother 3, Grandparent 4, Toddler 4, Stepchildren 5, Friends 6

House Blessings 7

At the Entrance 7, In the Kitchen 8, In the Living Room 8, In the Dining Room 9, In Each Bedroom 10, In a Couple’s Bedroom 10, In a Child’s Room 11, In a Guest Room 11, In a Workroom or Playroom 12, Bathrooms 12, For Pets and Other Creatures 13, In the Garden 14, Discerning of Spirits 16

Home 17 When Away from Home 17, Arriving in a New Place 18, On Returning Home 19

School 20 Going to School 20, At School 21, Exams 23, Graduation 24

Work and Career 26 Work Blessing 26, Computers 27, Joining Up 28, New Task 28, Money 30

Achievements 31 New Job 31, Promotion 32, Sports 33

Illness and Injury 34 Talking to the Diseased Organ 34, To a Stye 34, For the Removal of a Microbe in the Body 35, To a Blind or Affected Eye While Bathing or Touching It 35, When Laying Hands on a Painful Part of the Body 36, For Any Disease of the Body 37, For a Swelling 37, For Any Skin or Blood Disease 38, Miscarriage 39, When a Person Suffers from Insecurity or a Lack of Identity 41, For the Removal of a Disease of the Spirit 42, The Healing Rhythm of the Trinity 42, Healing with Water 43, Injury 44

Travel 45

Car 45, New Bicycle 46, New Car 47, New Car Owner 48, New Motorcycle 48, The Path 49

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Formal Occasions 51

Baptism 52 At the Baptism of an Infant 52, At the Baptism of an Older Child or an Adult 57

Funeral 59 Before the Funeral 59, At the Graveside 60, After the Funeral 63

Holy Communion 65 Blessing for Bread 65, Blessing for Wine 65, Lamb of God 66, This Precious Nectar 66

Infant Blessing 67 Welcome 68, Thanks 69, Naming 69, Commitments 70, Words to Remember 74, The Circling Prayer and Blessing 76

Wedding 80 Before the Start of a Wedding Service 80, After the Entrance of the Bride 80, Before the Vows 82, Joining

Hands after the Vows 83, A Bridal Blessing after the Vows 83, Prayers for the Future 84, Prayer for a New Household 85, Circling 86, Traditional Blessings 87

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Daily and Seasonal 89

Daily Rituals 90 Washing 90, Mealtime Blessings 91, After Food 96, Sleep 97

Day and Night 98 Morning 98, Rising 99, Midday 100, Evening 101, Night 102

Seasonal 103 Holidays 103, New Year 104, Easter 105, Halloween 107, Christmas 108, Christmas Tree 109

All Living Things 110 Tree of Life 110, Harvest 110, Plants 112, Gardens 113, Pets 114, The Creation 115

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Journey through Life 117

Special Days 119 Birth 119, Birthdays 121, Anniversaries 122

Dark Times 123 Loss 123, A Lonely Soul 124, Despair 125, Victim of Crime 126, Battered People 127, Infertility 128, Divorce 129, Job Loss 130, Take Me under Your Protection 131

Death 132 Of an Enemy 132, Of an Unborn Child 133, At Journey’s End 136, Alone 138, Drawing My Soul 139, Protecting Body and Soul 140, Sorrow 141, Beloved Soul 142, The Circling Prayer 143, God Be with You 144

Growing Up 145 Falling in Love 145, Leaving Home 147, Parties and Nights Out 148, Manhood: A Boy’s First Steps 149, Womanhood: A Girl’s First Period 150

Aging 152 Midlife Crisis 152, Middle Age 153, Retirement 155, Old Age 155, Welcoming Arms 156

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Finally 157

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Everyday Blessings

Celtic Blessings

Family and Friends Fathers n God help you to listen to your loved ones play with your loved ones laugh with your loved ones weep with your loved ones forgive your loved ones take responsibility for your loved ones be faithful to your loved ones forever.

Bless you fathers, May you be priests to your wives and children.

Everyday Blessings

Mother n Mother, dear, pearl of great price, too often have we taken you for granted.

May the Holy Trinity protect you May the Three of limitless love renew you so that An island shall you be in our seas A light shall you be in our nights A well shall you be in our deserts until heaven’s arms enfold you, too.

Celtic Blessings

Grandparent n May this little one bring Love and affection to you And good to the earth.

May this be a day of grace for you.

May you be a guarding one to this gift of heaven Along with the saints and the angels and the Three of limitless love.

Toddler n This blessing should be said when washing the toddler.

The three palmfuls of the Sacred Three To preserve you from every envy or evil eye: The palmful of the Father of life; The palmful of the Christ of love; The palmful of the Spirit of peace, The God of threefold love.

Everyday Blessings

Stepchildren n The family of God to draw round you The family of God to welcome you The family of God to listen to you The family of God to cherish you The family of God to heal you Mary the mother of our Lord Joseph at his work All the saints of heaven Your guardian angels And we your new loved ones.

May heaven’s gates of welcome open wide May our heart of welcome open wide May your heart of welcome open wide This day and always.

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very day and everywhere, blessings offer us the opportunity to invite

faith into our daily lives. They voice our hopes, thoughts, and wishes, so why should we limit them to a few formal occasions in church?

Following the rich Celtic tradition, Ray Simpson has compiled a collection of blessings that celebrate God’s truth in our day-to-day lives. Deeply spiritual and highly practical, Celtic Blessings contains over 130 blessings and prayers for

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everyday events exams, friends, work, parties, travel, home

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formal occasions baptisms, Holy Communion, weddings, funerals

C e l t i c B l e ss i n gs

Spirituality/Prayer

C o m p i l e d

b y

R ay

S i m p s o n

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daily and seasonal rituals harvest, holidays, grace before meals

C e l t i c

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life’s journeys birth, death, anniversary, divorce, promotion, retirement

Celtic spirituality, including Exploring Celtic Spirituality, Celtic Worship through the Year, and Celtic Daily Life. He is a member of the Lindisfarne religious community in northern England, an important spiritual center of the Celtic world.

S i m p s on

Ray Simpson is the author of several books on

B l e ss i n gs *

Prayers for Everyday Life