St. Helen’s Daily Lenten Devotional
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places… Ephesians 6: 10-12
St. Patrick’s Breastplate
Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ in me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every one who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.
An excerpt from St. Patrick’s Breastplate, a prayer for protection against spiritual adversity.
(c. 433 A.D.) Often attributed to the saint himself!
Irish Soda Bread
4 cups flour; 1 Tablespoon sugar; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 cups buttermilk
Whisk together dry ingredients, add milk all at once. Mix into a soft dough(use your hands) then turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Lightly knead and then make into a smooth ball. Place loaf onto parchment lined baking sheet. Score a cross on the top of the dough with a sharp knife(It helps the loaf to cook evenly and lets the devil out!) Bake in the oven 30-35 minutes. It’s baked when brown and sounds hollow when you tap it. Serve with butter. Best time to eat? Day of baking! No buttermilk? To 2 cups milk +/or cream add 1 Tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes and use in recipe.