“May God the Father bless us,
may Christ take care of us,
the Holy Ghost enlighten us all the days of our life.
The Lord be our defender and keeper of body and soul,
both now and forever, to the ages of ages."
St. Ethelwold
Saint Ethelwold’s prayer outlines some of the ways we as Christians rely on and relate to each Person within the Trinity. God the Father is our source of blessing (Numbers 6:24-26); Christ the Son is the Good Shepherd who cares for us as His sheep (John 10); and the Holy Spirit illumines our hearts and minds to understand the things of God (John 16:13-16). Moreover, St. Ethelwold appeals to scripture’s recurring depiction of God as our Defender—in the present, but more so in the future defending us from the defeat of sin and death.
This prayer should first and foremost evoke praise in our hearts as we reflect on the amazing attributes of our God. Second, it is a reminder to rely on God as our source of all things—blessing, care, understanding, and protection. Finally, we can find peace, rest, and comfort in the truths proclaimed here regardless of our circumstances surrounding us.
