A Prayer for the Journey

In Esther De Waal’s book The Celtic Vision: Prayers and Blessings from the Outer Hebrides, she tells the story of a man named Dugall MacAulay who always recited a journey prayer to himself.  He recited it under his breath, “whenever he went upon a journey ‘however short the distance, however small the matter of his errand.’”  These kinds of prayers are common in the Celtic tradition, asking for God’s blessing and care for every part of a journey.  

De Waal writes, “When anyone set out on a really long journey family and friends would join the traveler in singing the prayer for traveling and in starting the journey with them”  (pp. 143-144).

The Journey Blessing Prayer goes like this:

Bless to me, O God,

The earth beneath my foot,

Bless to me, O God,

The path whereon I go;

Bless to me, O God,

The thing of my desire;

Thou Evermore of evermore,

Bless Thou to me my rest.

Bless to me the thing

Whereon is set my mind,

Bless to me the thing

Whereon is set my love;

Bless to me the thing

Whereon is set my hope;

O Thou King of kings,

Bless Thou to me mine eye!

Amen.

May our prayers be answered as we ask for God’s blessing on our journeys, especially as we travel the exciting, challenging and Spirit-driven Acts 16:5 Initiative.

With Joy - Anne Clifton Hébert