The consequences of incorporating personal rituals into our prayer often exceed our expectations. The consistent use of private rituals helps us develop bodily habits that allow us to more quickly put aside our daily concerns and enter into a prayerful conversation with our Creator. But these rituals also remind us that we are invoking protection and guidance while seeking communion with a loving God. With each successive act of ritual, we invite God to consecrate our time with him and reconfirm our desire that he transform us into signs of his presence in the world.
With these goals in mind, you may find one or more of the following three rituals (using traditional Gaelic prayers selected from Alexander Carmichael’s Carmina Gadelica) helpful:
#1 — A Trinitarian Act of Humility
Note: For this ritual, place three candles at the focal point of your prayer space — along with an image of the Trinity (e.g., a triskele or an icon), if you like. You also will need some matches or a long lighter.
• After relaxing into your prayer space, light the candles while reciting this prayer:
I am bending my knee
(lighting the first candle)
in the eye of the Father who created me,
(lighting the second candle)
in the eye of the Son who died for me,
(lighting the third candle)
in the eye of the Spirit who cleansed me,
in love and desire.
• After completing your prayer, as you prepare to leave your prayer space, extinguish the candles in the same order you originally lit them while repeating the following prayer:
I am bending my knee
in the eye of the Father who created me,
(extinguishing the first candle)
in the eye of the Son who died for me,
(extinguishing the second candle)
in the eye of the Spirit who cleansed me,
(extinguishing the third candle)
in love and desire. Amen.
#2 — A Personal Caim (Encircling Prayer)
Note: This ritual does not require any objects, but you may want to use a crucifix or other image of Jesus as the focal point of your prayer space.
• After becoming comfortable, open your hands — palms up — in front of you or pick up and hold the image of Jesus. Then, looking at your palms or the image, offer the following prayer:
O Lord, who brought me from the rest of last night
Unto the joyous light of this day,
Bring me from the new light of this day
Unto the guiding light of eternity.
• Now, allowing an image to form in your imagination as you slowly say:
The shape of Christ be towards me,
The shape of Christ be from me,
The shape of Christ be before me,
The shape of Christ be behind me,
The shape of Christ be over me,
The shape of Christ be under me,
The shape of Christ be with me,
The shape of Christ be around me.
• When you are finished, return the image of Jesus to its place or move your hands to where you will hold them during prayer.
• After you finish your prayer, pick up and hold the image of Jesus or open your hands in front of you as you pray:
O Lord, bring me from the new light of this day
Unto the guiding light of eternity.
Oh! from the new light of this day
Unto the guiding light of eternity. Amen.
• Wait a moment in silence after the prayer. Then, close your hands or replace the image of Jesus before leaving.
#3 — A Veneration of the Cross
Note: In this ritual, the focal point for your prayer space should include a candle placed before a cross or crucifix. You also will need some matches or a lighter.
• After calming yourself, make the sign of the cross while saying:
In the name of the King of life,
In the name of the Christ of love,
In the name of the Holy Spirit,
The triune of my strength.
• Then, light the candle before continuing with this prayer:
May the cross of the crucifixion tree
Upon the wounded back of Christ
Deliver me from distress,
From death and from spells.
The cross of Christ without fault,
All outstretched toward me;
O God, bless me!
• After concluding your prayer period, repeat the following prayer while you extinguish the candle:
May the cross of the crucifixion tree
Upon the wounded back of Christ
Deliver me from distress,
From death and from spells.
The cross of Christ without fault,
All outstretched toward me;
O God, bless me!
• Then, make the sign of the cross as you say:
In the name of the King of life,
In the name of the Christ of love,
In the name of the Holy Spirit,
The triune of my strength. Amen.
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