Strength of a flower, pushing up through the earth
Strength of the rain, soaking into the ground
Strength of a fish, swimming against the flow
Strength of the sun, melting the winter snow
Like the strength of a flower, pushing up through the earth
Like the strength of the rain, soaking into the ground
Like the strength of a fish, swimming against the flow
Like the strength of the sun, melting the winter snow
Like the strength of a bird, flying into the wind
Like the strength of the wind, lifting the desert sand
Like the strength of the tide, shaping the rocks and land
Like the strength of the ice, carving the mountainside
How wonderful this world
A fragment of a fiery sun
How wonderful this life
How fragile and how bold
Like the strength of a man, who fights for his family
Like the strength of a friend, who carries you when you're weak
Like the strength of the heart, bearing the pain of birth
Like the strength of the love, healing the sons of earth
How wonderful this world
A fragment of a fiery sun
How wonderful this life
How fragile and how bold
Like the strength of a man, who fights for his family
Like the strength of a friend, who carries you when you're weak
Like the strength of the heart, bearing the pain of birth
Like the strength of the love, healing the sons,
Gaelic adaptation of 'Be Thou my Vision' by Hugh Brennan
Bi-se I mo shuil
A Ri mhor na nduil
Lion thusa mo bheatha
Mo cheadfai's mo stuaim
Bi thusa I m'aigne
Gach oiche's gach la
Im chodladh no im dhuiseacht
Lion me le do gra
Bi thusa mo threoru
I mbriathar is I mbeart
Fan thusa go deo liom is
Coinnigh me ceart
Glac curam mar athair
Is eist le mo ghui
Is tabhair domsa ait conai
Istigh I do chroi
Be my eyes, O king of creation
Fill my life with understanding
And patience
Will You be my mind every night
And every day
Sleeping or awake
Fill me with Your love
Will You be my guidance
In my words and actions
Stay with me forever
And keep me on the right path
As my Father take care of me
And listen to my prayers
And give me a place
To live inside Your heart
Beyond these shores
Into the darkness
Beyond these shores
This boat may sail
And if this is the way
Then there will be
A path across this sea
And if I sail beyond
The farthest ocean
Or lose myself in depths below
Wherever I may go
Your love surrounds me
For you have been before
Hogg
Safe within these shores
I feel no conflict here
I feel my spirit soar
Within this sanctuary
Iona, Iona
There are no ghosts to haunt me
There is no blood upon this land
No power to make me fear
No hour of darkness here
Iona, Iona
All bathed in emerald
Out of the mist arise
I see the stones appear
A cross before my eyes
Be Thou and Thou only
The first in my heart
Quietly You arrived
Never forcing me to choose
Bringing Your perfect light
Into this sunless room ... of mine
So make Your home inside my heart
Fill this empty house of stone
Make Your home inside my heart
Let me dance in the brightness
Of Your throne
Of Your throne
Looking through stained windows
I see a rose on the wall
Thorns that draw blood
From Your face
I hear the agony of Your call
... to me
In the stillness of moonlight
I am awakened by Your grace
And the love that glistens
Pulling against the tide, rowing
Heart praying, thought flowing
Until the oars touch the ground of Hinba
Pushing against the eastern wind
Salt that bleeds into the skin
Looking over your shoulder to Hinba
This is where you prayed
And Heaven's light shone down
This is where you sang the angel song
Rising higher, rising higher to beyond
Morning comes in glorious light
Sea reflecting calm and bright
And the song still rises from the island
Here you came to make your fast
Prayed for mercy 'til at last
You heard the word, you waited for
This is where you prayed
And Heaven's light shone down
This is where you sang the angel song
Rising higher, rising higher to beyond
This is where you prayed
And Heaven's light shone down
This is where you sang the angel song
Hogg
Here I stand, looking out to sea
Where a thousand souls have prayed
And a thousand lives were laid on the sand
Were laid on the sand
Years have passed, since they have died
And The Word shall last
And the Wild Goose shall fly
Shall fly
Here I stand, looking out to sea
And I say a prayer
That the Wild Goose will come to me
High King of Heaven,
Thou heaven's bright sun,
O grant me its joys
After vict'ry is won
Revelation 1v16, 21v23, 22v5,
1 Corinthians 13v12
I felt I began to see what Moses was
Aiming at when he had a tent pitched for God:
Here in their midst was an abiding Presence.
When they travelled, this was a sign
That the Almighty travelled with them.
When darkness descended, here was
You've returned like some unsung hero
With nothing in your hand
How can a flower grow in the desert
How can a boy grow in a wasteland
There is healing
A time will come when the pain will go
A time will come when love will flow
A time will come when your heart will know
Healing
Someone paints you a view of Heaven
Someone touched your hand
There can be life for your warrior spirit
There can be freedom in this wasteland
There is healing
I watch you wait for the pain to go
I watch you wait for love to flow
I want you wait for your heart to know
I take the road that leads me on
And gaze out over the land
Ground the colour of turf laden brown
And trees that sing in the wind
Clouds that chase but never catch
The sun that rainbows the air
These are the things
Some of the things
That take my breath away
These are the things
Some of the things
That take my breath away
My steps have led me to friendships door
Where faith and kindness embrace my soul
And children's laughter sounds in the air
And fills my heart with joy
Their feet can dance the lightest steps
Catch the Bird of Heaven
Lock Him in a cage of gold
Look again tomorrow
And He will be gone
Lock Him in religion
Gold and frankincense and myrrh
Carry to His prison
But He will be gone
All the things that man has made
Cannot hold Him anymore
Still the bird is flying as before
Temple made of marble
Beak and feather made of gold
Bell and book and candle
Cannot hold Him anymore
Still the bird is flying
You were the very first
Before the world began
And the oceans rose
And the rivers ran
And the water flowed
Before the mountains and hills
Were set in place
Before stars in the sky
And the human race
You were there
Wisdom, teach me what is right
Wisdom, come and give me sight
Wisdom, come and be my light
My light
You are the voice of truth
That is just and right
A shield to the faithful
A sword for the fight
A path for the wise
And those who desire You
More than silver or gold
Will find understanding
Within the soul
For You are there
Wisdom, teach me what is right
Wisdom, come and give me sight
Wisdom, come and be my light
Sand as white as snow
Swirls like smoke around my feet
And a sky that turns in a moment
From blue to grey
All these things I see
On an Irish day
It is here that time has granted
That the light
Should still burn on
It was here a seed was planted
In the brave heart of an Irish son
Here before my time
Walked men of faith and truth
In a land that was dark
They followed the way
Bringing sweet light
On an Irish day
It is here that time has granted
That the light
Should still burn on
It was here a seed was planted
In the brave heart of an Irish son
Here I kneel upon this ground
Love can heal
Riches I heed not,
Nor man's empty praise
Be Thou mine inheritance
Now and always
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride
Forbid it Lord that I should boast
Save in the death of Christ my Lord
All the vain things that charm me most
I sacrifice them to His blood
See from His head, His hands, His feet
Sorrow and love flow mingled down
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were an offering far too small
Love so amazing, so divine
Wave after wave rolls on
And the water falls and the line is drawn
Wave after wave rolls in
And the line is gone where my feet have been
Wave after wave rolls on
And the water falls and the line is drawn
Wave after wave rolls in
And the line is gone where my feet have been
Hills that I know are there
Hidden from my view by the misty air
Light shining through the gray
Turns the water deep shades of lilac blue
Music in every sound light beyond each cloud
Hope in every dream
Songs like a healing breeze every breath inhale
And the goodness feel
I witness the power great mystery telling
In every moment with every swelling wave
I feel the depth of your love and devotion
My heart like the bird that dives into this ocean blue
Lanes that have brought me here
Framed in season flowers lined in summer green
Music in every sound light beyond each cloud
Hope in every dream
Songs like a healing breeze every breath inhale
And the goodness feel
Rise from the bird above from the flower below
In a song of love
Light shining through the gray
Turns the water deep shades of lilac blue
Music in every sound light beyond each cloud
Hope in every dream
Songs like a healing breeze every breath inhale
And the goodness feel
Rise from the bird above from the flower below
In a song of love
Music in every sound light beyond each cloud
I was following somebody's footsteps to this place
A wind was blowing
And I thought I felt you touch my face
And I danced on my own
But I wasn't alone on the hillside
And I sang for the king
I could hear angels sing in the distance
What a mystery, what a mystery
What a mystery, Your love for me,
Your love for me
The stones here are worn
And the flowers are torn from the very sod
In the light of the morn
I am reborn in the sight of God
And I danced on my own
But I wasn't alone on the hillside
And I sang for the king
I could hear angels sing in the distance
What a mystery, what a mystery
What a mystery, Your love for me,
Your love for me
And my heart's on fire
But still I desire the stillness there
This is where it began
In the heart of one man in a night of prayer
And I'm dancing no more
As I lose the shore from my vision
And there's only the sound
Of a gull crying down in the distance
What a mystery, what a mystery
What a mystery, Your love for me,
Consider the flowers of the field
In their beauty
More lovely than even the clothes of a king
Consider the birds of the air
Flying high, flying free
You are precious to me
Where your treasure is
There is your heart
If a son asks his father on earth
For fish or for bread
Who among you would give him
A snake or a stone
How much more does the Father above
Have a heart full of love
Today the grass is greener
Than I have ever seen
Today the sky is bluer
Than it has ever been
And today my heart is beating
Like I've never felt it beat
And today flowers are growing
From the ground beneath my feet
Today my hope is stronger
Ans the vision's clearer
To walk in love eternal
The path that takes me nearer
And to You the music's playing
Like it has never done
And to You my feet are dancing
Underneath the sun
In You I live
In You I live
When mercy comes to me as soft as the sky
And faith like a strong arm around me lies
And life is beginning like springtime in flower
My soul is awakened with truth to astound me
An emptiness for You to fill
My soul, a cavern for Your sea
And You are the flowering bough of creation
From You cascades music like a million stars
And here in the purest light of the heavens
Mysteries revealing in songs that surround me
An emptiness for You to fill
My soul, a cavern for Your sea
An emptiness for You to fill
My soul, a cavern for Your sea
An emptiness for You to fill
Great Power of my Power
The Celtic Christians affirmed that they
Were always in the hands of God.
No matter to what depths live descended,
They knew that, underneath, are the
Throwing light into a darkened cold
Hands that toil until the night grows old
Pure devotion of a faithful heart
That knows Your Spirit
And the river flows
Through eternity
Down through the ages the Truth will survive
Turning the pages the Light cannot die
Down through the ages the Truth will survive
Pages of eternal mystery
Where the Spirit knows what the eye cannot see
Images of Earth and Heaven
Mysteriously drawn together
And the river flows
Through eternity
Down through the ages the Truth will survive
Turning the pages the Light cannot die
Waiting for the Spirit of Truth to tell
Power on Earth to stand in the way of hell
Waiting for the sky to clear
Waiting for the sun to appear
Waiting to see you
Waiting to hear you
Waiting for vision
To see your, your
Revelation
Learning the purifying flame
Regeneration after the growing pain
Longing for the words to flow
Longing for the world to know
Waiting to see you
Waiting to hear you
Waiting for vision
To see your, your
There's a tree in my garden
Tall and dark with countless leaves
And it whispers in the air
And it dances in the breeze
And it sways in the storm
But its hold is strong
And like the hope that's come my way
And turns me 'round to face the sky
The rhythm of this world, the gift of life
The essence that can never die
The hope that's come my way
And turns me 'round to face the sky
The rhythm of this world, the gift of life
The essence that can never die
By a river crystal bright
There's a tree where waters flow
Leaves that fall for our healing
Scattered on the world below
Where angels dance and the people sing
A song of hope that's come my way
And turns me 'round to face the sky
The rhythm of this world, the gift of life
The essence that can never die
The hope that's come my way
And turns me 'round to face the sky
The rhythm of this world, the gift of life
The essence that can never die
A song of hope that's come my way
And turns me 'round to face the sky
The song of hope that's come my way
And turns me 'round to face the sky
The rhythm of this world, the gift of life
The essence that can never die
The hope that's come my way
And turns me 'round to face the sky
The rhythm of this world, the gift of life
No heart beats like Your heart
Keeping me in time
No hand as warm as Your hand
Holding onto mine
No eyes can see through me
No smile ever drew me, like Yours
And no voice like Your voice
Can calm my fears
And no prayers like Your prayers
Can move me to tears
And no arm around me
Can fully surround me
Like Yours ...
No heart beats like Yours
Like Yours ...
No heart beats like Yours
Like Your love for me
Place me like a seal over Your heart
For love is as strong as death
It burns like a blazing fire
Like a mighty flame
No heart beats like Your heart
Keeping me in time
No hand as warm as Your hand
Holding onto mine
No eyes can see through me
No smile ever drew me
No eyes can see through me
No smile ever drew me
And no arm around me
Can fully surround me
And no arm around me
Can fully surround me
Like Yours ...
No heart beats like Yours
Like Yours ...
No heart beats like Yours
The stones here are coloured
With the shades of time
Trees here have weathered
A storm or two
Waves that have pounded
Upon this land
Shaping the rocks that surround you
And here at last
I'm on my own with you
Here is a place
You could write or paint pictures
And dream that the troubles will end
Here is a place where we join our hands
In a love we defend
Here we can bathe
In a love that's Divine
Here we can know
I am yours, you are mine
Here in Your arms
That are faithful and strong
Here with You
The tears that salt the earth
The wounds that bleed the land
The mark of ancient scars
These are the ways of man
The sound of restless souls
That pierce beyond the skies
The love that seeks release
The mind that tries to find
A place of peace
There is a place of peace
There is a sea of calm
Where the Spirit gently breathes
Life into the soul of man
And in another realm
Beyond the plains of Earth and time
Where angels gaze upon
Slow rising mist
Enfolding the land
Seawater shifts on a bed of sand
A forest of kelp dances
Beneath its motion
The water moves
With the tides of the ocean
And here we are
We have come this far
To say a prayer
On Lindisfarne
Here in the rock
Bathed in a gentle glow
The golden half-light
Of the setting sun
A shadow of wings
Flying fast and low
Out of my sight
Into the distance gone
And here we are
We have come this far
To say a prayer
I see light reflected
I see light reflected
I see light reflected
In the glow of springtime sun
In the smile of wonder
There is truth and there is peace
Reaching to me from heaven
As we walk across this hill
We're in orbit
Spinning 'round the sun
Around the sun
Around the sun
Light of light eternal
Light my way for me
Light of light eternal
Light my way for me
Gazing through a veil of tears
Blurring the starlight glow
Holding my hands up to the sky
Saying my silent prayer
As I walk into the night
Verse 1
I stand on ground I've walked before
To seek the way
And see the night become the dawn
To show the path the goose has flown
A time will come and truth reveal
The glory of eternal God
Jesus the son, the living word
Middle 8
When beauty's colours fade away
And earthly pages find decay
The word divine, always the same
Chorus
His word shall live forever
His word shall live forever
The word is a sword that pierces the heart
The truth is a light that cuts through the dark
Of this world
Nations shall rise, nations shall fall,
Nothing shall stand
In the way of the word
The word is a sword that pierces the heart
The truth is a light that cuts through the dark
Of this world
Nations shall rise, nations shall fall,
Nothing shall stand
I stand on ground I've walked before,
To seek the way
And watch the moon rise into night,
Illuminating with its light
My thoughts they turn in time and place,
Illuminated Word of grace
Where I will find the way divine
A throne in sight that blazes like eternal dawn
The mystery of Father, Spirit and the Son,
The Three in One
And precious stones of colours bright
Eagle and calf, lion and man,
Do meet around the throne of light
In colours rich that last through time
In patterns of the Spirit's mind
Illuminated Word divine
I stand on ground I've walked before,
Out of the night into the morn
Drawing us gently through the eye of the storm
Out of the sorrow into the joy
Where we'll dwell in the highlands with Him evermore
Sealed by a promise we are called to become
Those who endure 'til this race is won
And leaving their past, heading for more
Hogg
See the sun is rising
A day is dawning on the Island
See the boats are leaving
With their treasure from the Island
Sail against the spirits of the age
Write across the page of history
Through the veil of darkness time will tell
The power of The Word to set you free
Break the chains on this land
Free the spirit of man
Break the chains on this land
Free the spirit of man
See the sun is rising
And the light it is revealing
Hearts that join in union
Hands that join in healing
Sail across the waters that divide
Write across the page of history
Move into a land that cannot hide
From the power of the Holy Trinity
Break the chains on this land
Free the spirit of man
Break the chains on this land
They paint it black
Then they watch it burn
So quick to hear
But slow to learn
Move with the times
Or just die with the past
Why does it seem
That beauty doesn't last?
Everything changes in the wave
Of what's being done
Everything changes in the wave
Of what's being done
Everything changes
The rain looks clear
'til you see its stain
So much seems safe to touch
But later feel the pain
I see broken wings
Give up their flight
I see silver sands
Turned as black as night
Everything changes in the wave
Of what's being done
Everything changes in the wave
Of what's being done
Yesterday, today, forever the same
You are yesterday, today,
Forever the same
You are yesterday, today,
Forever the same
You are yesterday, today,
Forever the same
Everything changes in the wave
Of what's being done
Everything changes in the wave
Of what's being done
Athair in gach rud
LORICA
The early Celtic church had many
'breastplate prayers', or 'lorica', which
Declared the surrounding and
Encompassing of God. Such prayers were
Not to make God come - He is already
There - but to open our eyes to the reality.
In breastplate prayers, the person who
Prays seeks to become aware of what is
Already a reality.
(The lyrics are 4th century Irish, attributed to St Patrick)
I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead
His eye to watch, His might to stay
His ear to hearken to my need
The wisdom of my God to teach
His hand to guide His shield to ward
The word of God to give me speech
His heavenly host to be my guard
TARA
(Tara, the ancient capital of Ireland)
At Tara today in this fateful hour
I place all Heaven with its power
And the sun with its brightness
And the snow with its whiteness
And the fire with all the strength it hath
And the lightning with its rapid wrath
And the winds with their swiftness along the path
And the earth with its starkness.
All these I place by God's almighty help and grace
Between myself and the powers of darkness
The wisdom of my God to teach
His hand to guide His shield to ward
The word of God to give me speech
His heavenly host to be my guard
CAIM
Along with the prayer of encompassing,
The Celtic Christians had a practice called
The 'caim', in which they drew around them
A circle ... this was a symbol of the encircling love of God.
The Mighty Three
My protection Be
Encircling me
You are around
My life, my home
Encircling me
Mist that hangs like silk
Soaking in the rain
Trees that rise like ghosts
Bearing people's names
And a sea that takes me
Where I do not know
But I gladly go
Shrouded in the sweetest grass
I've ever known
This my earthly bed
My beloved home
But the voice that calls me
To the far away
I can only trust every word you say
And here I am
Out on the edge of the world
With You, With You
Shall I leave the print of my knees
Upon the sand
This my final prayer
In my native land
Shall I turn my face
Towards the shining sea
Taste the salt of tears
I wish this boat
Could carry me to You
For I am thirsty
For Your love
But it lies deeper
Than this ocean blue
And all this beauty
Is no substitute
For Your divine presence
Your divine presence
With me
I wish this wind
Could carry words to me
To tell You what
Is in my mind
But deep within my soul
Your Spirit speaks
With words that I
Could never find
For Your divine presence
Your divine presence
With me
There is nothing like Your love
There is nothing like Your love
And Your divine presence
Your divine presence
Your divine presence
With me
Diaga I Lathair
(Divine Presence)
A Ri mor na Nduil
Hogg
It started with a dream and I could see it all
I had a vision and I heard you call me
Now the dream is over but the voice remains
I am part of something that is going
To change things for the better
To change things for the better
And I hear you call
And I see you dancing, dancing on the wall
The writings on the paper, the names upon the page
The past part of the present
And this coming of age
I see a revolution I never thought would dawn
I am part of something that's going to go on
And on for the better
To go on and on for the better
And I hear you call
And I see you dancing, dancing on the wall
It started with a dream and I still recall
I see a bridge where there once was a wall of stone
Now the dream is over and the picture will fade
But I am part of something
That is going to sway things for the better
Going to sway things for the better
And I hear you call
Verse 1
Colour of green
Green for the vine
For the leaves and the branches
The tree of life
Colour of red
Red for the wounds
That are deeper than I can know
How deep the flow
Chorus 1
By Him all things, were created
By Him all things, were created
And the fullness, of the Godhead
Is in Him
Chi-Rho
Verse 2
Colour of gold
Gold for a throne
For the light that is blazing
From His face
Colourless white
For purity
White as snow, the colours flow
The mystery of Chi-Rho
Chorus 2
By Him all things, were created
By Him all things, were created
And the fullness, of the Godhead
Is in Him
Chi-Rho
Chorus 3
By Him all things, were created
By Him all things, were created
And the fullness, of the Godhead
Is in Him, Chi-Rho
In Him, Chi-Rho
In Him, Chi-Rho
There is a path to follow
There is a dream to hold
And there are words of wisdom
For me in this all
I need the truth to guide me
I need a light to fall on me
From Heaven
Burning like fire
Falling like rain
I need to hear your voice again
I am only human, but I have the desire
For Your divine annointing
To start a holy fire
I need the Word to keep me
I need Your love to fall on me
From Heaven
Oh in times of trouble
You will cover me
Oh in times of darkness
I have returned
To that part of the country
That I knew as a child
Here I've spent time
On top of a rugged high mountain
Overlooking the South West wild
Now the season of praying is finished
Now the season of fasting is done
Now the season of waiting is over
There is a high cliff on the South Coast of England where, each year, people have ended their lives by driving over the edge.
Here at my feet
The metal remains
Of hopes that died in the air
Here at my feet
Salt water washes over despair
Was it for fear of the future
Was it for guilt of the past
And where are the souls
Oh the sea doesn't know
And where are the souls
Oh the rocks cannot say
And where are the souls
God only knows, how you're feeling today
Here in my head
I see an eagle that flies into the sun
Here in my head I say a prayer
That You'd save the next one
Is there no-one to watch over this place
To pray this evil away
Looking up at cliffs so white
Shadows in this evening light
Looking up at sky so blue
I can only think of You
It started with a dream and I could see it all
I had a vision and I heard you call me
Now the dream is over but the voice remains
I am part of something that is going
To change things for the better
To change things for the better
And I hear you call
And I see you dancing, dancing on the wall
The writings on the paper, the names upon the page
The past part of the present
And this coming of age
I see a revolution I never thought would dawn
I am part of something that's going to go on
And on for the better
To go on and on for the better
And I hear you call
And I see you dancing, dancing on the wall
It started with a dream and I still recall
I see a bridge where there once was a wall of stone
Now the dream is over and the picture will fade
But I am part of something
That is going to sway things for the better
Going to sway things for the better
And I hear you call
Thought of you on this island of the leper,
on this island of the mad.
I've thought of you on this island of the outcast,
on this island of the sick and sad.
Thought this island had a tragic holiness,
thought it had a painful grace.
Thought it had the ugliest history,
thought this island was, the most beautiful place.
And I saw the altar, of this world's cruelty
I saw the stadium of the devil's goals.
And I saw a man, duck and weave the most evil punches.
I saw a factory of magnificent souls.
Thought of you on this island of the limestone
and the pain of dust torn eyes.
Thought of you on this island of the convict
Toiling under the bluest skies.
Looked upon this island of the reconciled
and I saw a stone carved cross.
Thought of you on this island of redemption.
Closed my eyes and thought, of what freedom had cost
And I saw the altar, of this world's cruelty
I saw the stadium of the devil's goals.
And I saw a man, duck and weave the most evil punches.
I saw a factory of magnificent souls.
No-one ever asked questions with marks as sharp as these
They pierced the veins of Jesus who was one of the least of these
And no-one ever gave an answer with as gentle a word as this
You took violent indignation,
and you killed it with a political kiss.
And I saw the altar, of this world's cruelty
I saw the stadium of the devil's goals.
And I saw a man, duck and weave the most evil punches.
Oh Iona, winds are blowing
Shall I see you home again
Oh Iona, I remember
Days of beauty, days of pain
I believe you I am with you
To a promise I will keep
No lamenting joy is waiting
I shall see you as I sleep
Oh Iona though divided
All my passion I will save
Oh Iona undecided
Stands by waiting, as I pray
O'er the distance, now between us
Sailing homeward on stormy sea
Speed my message of devotion
Born in flame, forged in steel
Oh Iona, how I miss you
Oh my soul cries out for thee
Oh Iona, Oh Iona,
